Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Q.1 Describe the aims of secondary education in the context of 21st century skill. What
are the policy (2009) recommendations for the skilled based education at secondary
level?
Answer:
Over the past several decades, there has been increased demand for formal education to include
the development of generic skills as well as traditional academic subjects, i.e., to include
competencies for ways of thinking, ways of working, tools for working, and skills for living. These
skills for today‘s rapidly changing society, such as communication, problem solving,
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collaboration, and critical thinking, are being acknowledged increasingly all over the world. The
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big challenge, however, is knowing how to support and teach these skills in schools and
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classrooms.
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In the absence of well-established, evidence-based approaches that demonstrate how to teach
the skills and show how students have benefited from the process, countries are selecting a
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variety of paths to explore optimal models. For example, the ―Singapore Swiss Roll‖ approach,
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framework that incorporates 21st century competencies, including civic literacy, global
awareness, and cross-cultural skills; critical and inventive thinking; communication, collaboration
and information skills; as well as social and emotional competencies. Syllabi provided by the
Ministry of Education offer guiding principles for the variety of teaching approaches that
teachers can implement to enhance learning. Australia‘s national curriculum of 2010 identified
seven general capabilities, which teachers are expected to integrate throughout their teaching.
They are guided by online resources provided by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and
Reporting Authority.
In Costa Rica, with the understanding that the education system needs to progress to respond
to the changing demands for skills, the National Development Plan for 2015-2018 and a new
curriculum being rolled out in 2018, aims to emphasize the development and application of key
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21st century skills and attitudes, such as socioemotional, communication, critical thinking,
citizenships, and problem solving. Similarly, Kenya is currently developing their new
competency-based curriculum, which is designed to integrate seven competencies within and
A major recommendation from an Asia-based review of the challenges facing countries as they
adopt or integrate ―21st century skills‖, was to undertake in-depth research into the nature and
development of the skills themselves. If we don‘t understand what skills actually ―look like‖ as
children and adolescents at different levels of competence demonstrate them, then expecting
our subject-based and trained teachers to teach them is an unfair impost at best and destined
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follow to ensure movement from the simple to complex, and expectations about the quality of
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anticipated student performance or knowledge.
Where are the curricula for skills? Surely, in order for teachers and students to know what simple
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forms of communication through to sophisticated look like, they need a roadmap. This roadmap
then provides the guidelines for how educators can integrate development of student skills
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within existing and reform subject-based curricula. Creation of these roadmaps requires us to
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is to identify what demonstration of these competencies might look like and how to elicit or
What are the policy (2009) recommendations for the skilled based education at secondary
level:
1. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2009 (―the Policy‖) comes in a series of education policies
dating back to the very inception of the country in 1947. The review process for the National
Education Policy 1998-2010 was initiated in 2005 and the first document, the White Paper was
finalised in March 2007. The White Paper became the basis for development of the Policy
document. The lag in finalisation of the draft owes to lot of factors including the process of
consultations adopted as well as significant political changes in the country.
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2. Two main reasons that prompted the Ministry of Education (MoE) to launch the review in 2005
well before the time horizon of the existing Policy (1998 - 2010)1 were, firstly, the Policy was not
producing the desired educational results and the performance remained deficient in several key
aspects including access, quality and equity of educational opportunities and secondly, the
international challenges like Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) , Dakar Framework of
Action Education for All (EFA) Goals and the challenges triggered by globalisation and nation‘s
quest for becoming a knowledge society in the wake of compelling domestic pressures like
3. The document is organized into nine chapters. Chapter 1 describes overarching challenges,
identifies two fundamental causes that lie behind the deficiencies in performance (the
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commitment gap and the implementation gap), and outlines the way forward. Chapters 2 and 3
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articulate the ways of filling the Commitment Gap (system values, priorities and resources) and
Implementation Gap (Ensuring good governance) respectively. Chapters 4 puts forward the
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provisions of Islamic Education and transformation of the society on Islamic and human values.
Chapters 5 to 8 outline reforms and policy actions to be taken at the sub-sector level. Chapter 9
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broadly suggests a Framework for Implementation of the Action Plan of this Policy document.
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Annex- I lays out the current state of education sector. Available indicators have been assessed
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4. Many of the areas discussed in this document were present in the previous policy documents
prepared in the country from time to time and apparently many of the problems persist. A new
policy document on its own will not rectify the situation but all the segments of the society will
have to contribute in this endeavour. However, the document does recognise two deficits of
previous documents i.e. governance reform and an implementation roadmap which if redressed,
can alter results for the present Policy.
5. On governance, the policy discusses the issue of inter-tier responsibilities wherein the
respective roles and functions of the federal-provincial-district governments continue to be not
clear. Confusion has been compounded, especially, at the provincial-district levels after the
‗Devolution Plan‘ mainly because the latter was not supported by a clear articulation of
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strategies. The other issue identified for governance reforms is the fragmentation of ministries,
institutions etc. for management of various sub-sectors of education and, at times, within each
sub-sector. Problems of management and planning have also been discussed and
recommendations prepared.
implementation framework. The framework recognises the centrality of the federating units in
implementation of education. The role of the Federal Ministry of Education will be that of a
truly ‗national‘ document and not a federal recipe. For this, it has been recommended that
InterProvincial Education Ministers‘ Conference (IPEMC) with representation of all the federating
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units, will be the highest body to oversee progress of education in the country. In this respect
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the Federal-Provincial collaborative effort remains the key to success.
7. It has also been proposed to make the document a ―living document‖ that will remain for an
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indefinite period and be subjected to improvements whenever any such requirement is felt.
IPEM will consider and approve all such improvements which can be proposed by any of the
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federating units.
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8. The purpose of the Policy is to chart out a national strategy for guiding education
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development in Pakistan. Many of the policy actions outlined have already been initiated in
reforms during the process, most notably in the domains of curriculum development,
textbook/learning materials policy, provision of missing facilities. A number of initiatives are
already being implemented by the provincial and area governments. The Policy takes account of
these ongoing reforms and integrates them into its recommendations. The Policy is also
embedded within the Islamic ethos as enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan.
9. The success of the Policy will depend on the national commitment to the sector. Already there
has been a marked improvement in the area as all provinces and areas as well as the federal
government have raised the priority of education. This will now have to be matched with
availability of resources and capacity enhancement for absorption of these resources to improve
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education outcomes for the children of Pakistan. It is a long journey that has already begun. It is
hoped that the policy document will help give a clearer direction to the efforts and help in
institutionalising the effort within a national paradigm.
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Q.2 Enlist the functions of boards in conducting the socialogy level exams. Hightlight
some of the issues related to lent manamgnet in this context.
Answer:
Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education are responsible to administer school and
colleges offering primary and secondary education in Pakistan. Every BISE also administer the
exames for such classes. Every province has boards in major districts.
Responsibilities of BISEs
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Public education is universally available. School curricula, funding, teaching, employment, and
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other policies are set through locally by school boards in compliance with over all provincial and
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federal policies. Every provincial government takes care of standards at Intermediate and
secondary education level in the region by help of BISE at district level. Hence; every board is
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responsible to offer a transparent examination system and evaluation methodology. Each BISE in
BISE came into being as a result of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Act 1990.
Due to increase in work load on matric section, the conduct section has been divided into two
separate sections. Conduct 1 to deal with matric and conduct 2 to deal with intermediate. A
printing section has also been created for printing of question papers.
The Board is governed by a Calendar based on NWFP BISE Act 1990. The act along with
regulations and rules provide a complete compendium of instructions for running the Board.
Within the parameters laid down by this act, the Board makes rules and regulations for its
running. In addition the Controlling Authority also has the powers to provide directions to the
Board to regulate any activity.
Five districts, namely Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram and Kohistan. This
encompasses an area of 17,194 square kilometres and a population of 3.47 millions.
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1. Government schools, including Higher Secondary Schools and colleges, Tehsil-wise, both
All students of 9 th and 11 th class are required to be registered with the Board. The student
population here is that of registered students. In our Board area, however, a very large private
student population is also there, whose examination requirements are also met by the Board.
Hold and conduct all Examinations pertaining to Intermediate Education, Secondary Education,
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Classical and Pakistani Languages and such other Examinations as may be determined by
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Government. Lay down the conditions for admission to its Examinations to determine the
eligibility of candidates and to admit them to such Examinations. Prescribe courses of study for
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its Examinations Lay down conditions for recognition of institutions. Accord, refuse or withdraw
recognition, wholly or partly. Inspection of institutions and arrange for inspection of recognized
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institutions and call for inspection reports in respect of such institutions. Institute and award
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scholarships, medals and prizes in the prescribed manner. Grant certificates and diplomas to
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persons who have passed its Examinations and to withdraw such certificates and diplomas
Hold and conduct all Examinations pertaining to Intermediate Education, Secondary Education,
Classical and Pakistani Languages and such other Examinations as may be determined by
Government.
Lay down the conditions for admission to its Examinations to determine the eligibility of
candidates and to admit them to such Examinations.
Inspection of institutions and arrange for inspection of recognized institutions and call for
inspection reports in respect of such institutions.
Institute and award scholarships, medals and prizes in the prescribed manner.
Grant certificates and diplomas to persons who have passed its Examinations and to withdraw
In order to enable the Board to perform these multifarious functions efficiently and effectively,
these Boards were established as independent autonomous bodies with the Governor of the
province as the Controlling Authority. Professionally Board is the most competent body, as it
comprises the highest functionaries of the provincial Education setup as members etc.
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Q.3 Explain the issues and problems of staff development in public and private sector in
Pakistan.
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Answer:
Education plays a pivotal role in the rise and fall of the nations especially in the 21st century
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importance of education influence much to meet the fast growing challenges. It is mainly due to
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environment is the core need for progress of any country. All countries including Pakistan have
different school systems but when we divide them we find two major categories of school
systems: private and public schools. In Pakistan, private schools are getting mass acceptance
During 1990s and 2000s, private sector emerged as a key provider of education services in
Pakistan both in absolute terms and relative to the public sector. Private educational institutions
are playing key role not only in eradicating illiteracy but also enhancing the level of students as
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The educational landscape of Pakistan has gone through numerous transformations in the past
two decades. Enrollment levels and gender parity index have been on the rise. The changes in
the education sector that have been taking place in Pakistan have created an environment with
numerous opportunities as well as challenges in terms of policy development. Even though the
enrollment in government schools is much bigger than any other sector, the declining trend in
Education, especially primary education is mostly considered a public service which should be
provided to the citizens without discrimination, irrespective of affordability and mainly as the
government‘s responsibility. This ideology was behind the nationalization of all education
institutions in 1972, which severely interrupted the role of the robust private sector particularly
at the post elementary level. However, like other services provided by the government,
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education provision has been severely constrained by governance, quality and effectiveness.
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After the end of nationalization in 1979, Pakistan has witnessed an exponential increase in the
role of private sector service providers. The negative experiences of government schools have
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instigated parents to shift children from government to private schools. Private schools no
longer remain an urban or elite phenomenon, but rather poor households also use these
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facilities to a large extent, due to their better locations, reasonable fees, teachers‘ presence and
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better-quality learning, especially in the fields of mathematics and language. Even though
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private schools started off as an urban phenomenon, more recently they have mushroomed in
Several characteristics are responsible for making private schooling more attractive to parents
compared to government schools; these include better test scores, better physical infrastructure,
and lower rates of teacher absenteeism. Some of the other factors are:
1- Income of parents
4- Child safety
5- Quality of education
6- School Fee
7- Medium of Instruction
8- Better results
Even if we disregard the debate of whether the learning levels are better in private or
government schools, the fact remains that the learning levels for both types of institutes remain
poor in an absolute sense. The private schools advantage over the public schools is marginal up
if we look at the problems of education in the country holistically speaking. Therefore, the policy
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developers should cater to supporting and improving both the sectors and not either of the two.
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The outcomes of private versus public schools‘ debate may be a popular discourse, however, at
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a policy level it is essential to understand that the current education emergency in Pakistan
cannot be confronted with just a single player in the education sector. Multiple players, other
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than the government alone are required in the process to combat the problems. The
government needs private sector‘s help to contest the challenges. Various other challenges
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including the flood, security issues and dislocations of citizens due to the regional conflicts in
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the country also pose major concerns that the households and state need to plan around in the
future. The need of the hour is a collective action by all the stakeholders, including the
It can be a better option if the government uses its resources not on increasing the number of
schools but rather on the quality of existing schools. Increasing access to education for children
by increasing the number of schools should be a policy left for the private sector and the
government itself should concentrate on improving the quality of physical facilities and teachers
in the existing schools. By doing this, the benchmark for the private schools will also increase,
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Q.4 Explain the curriculum development process in Pakistan. As an educationist define
your role in the development of curriculum
Answer:
The process of curriculum development is facing serious issues in Pakistan. These issues are
interference of bureaucrats, the absence of involvement of school teachers etc. Experts sitting in
curriculum development boards do not use academic resources properly for revising outdated
sections of school textbooks. EAST offers innovative solutions for meeting the needs of
What is Curriculum?
While thinking about education, the most important idea that comes to mind is curriculum.
Curriculum is a channel that school administration needs for giving educational and life skills to
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students. However, unluckily, in Pakistani context, this idea is highly misunderstood due to which
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students do not get enriched educational experience in schools.
curriculum is not a static process, but it is a dynamic exercise that must undergo changes
In Pakistan, curriculum development is a static process. There are many reasons for the failure in
1. Curriculum is outdated
Firstly, the curriculum is outdated, which does not meet the local needs of Pakistani society. Raja
Omer Shabbir in his article, ―The curriculum problems,‖ notes that our present generation is
learning the same knowledge that previous two generations have learnt.
As students from different parts of the world get difficult mathematical and scientific knowledge
by activity-based learning, our students are forced to know scientific concepts through
cramming.
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For example, in school textbooks of Mathematics at primary level, the concepts of shapes in
geometry lessons are not written correctly. One example is of sphere and circle. Most of the
teachers do not know that a sphere is a solid shape and a circle is a flat shape. Many teachers
teach students that the shape of sun is a circle and not a sphere.
It is sad situation that experts designing school textbooks of mathematics at primary level do
not pay attention to include the concept of solid and flat shapes together.
Secondly, both Haider and Shabbir note that involvement of government officers in the
development of Pakistani curriculum is proving harmful to our education system.
Haider suggests that the current process of curriculum development is based on a uniform
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policy for the whole country that has its particular aims and goals, but he thinks that it is not
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possible to apply national educational policy to different regions of the country with equality.
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For example, there are many underdeveloped areas of Pakistan, where parents do not have
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adequate resources to send their children to schools. The drop-out rate from schools is high,
because parents cannot afford the expense of education easily.
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Hence, a new educational policy has to be made by government officers for poor students, so
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One way of doing this is to build schools, where students are allowed to study in evening time,
and where books having basic knowledge about core subjects such as English, Mathematics,
Thirdly, the problem that the process of curriculum development faces in Pakistan is improper
academic research for writing school textbooks. Haider points out those experts sitting in the
curriculum development boards use materials of their own choice for instruction in schools.
He says that most of the times the chosen content is not up to the mark. While going through
textbooks approved by several board systems in the country, it becomes clear that no suitable
research/evaluation system is created to revise curriculum.
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For example, in computer books of Class 9th, students still learn serial and parallel ports.
However, it is noted that all electronic devices created in present day are connected with
computers by USB port.
Fourthly, it is seen that the academic experience of teachers from different schools is also not
considered in designing and revising school curriculum. Daniel Tanner and Laurel N. Tanner in
their book, ―Curriculum Development: Theory into Practice,‖ suggest that without intelligent
Tanner and Tanner say that teachers, who are involved in bringing out educational change,
accept and adopt the new ideas more quickly than those teachers who are not involved in
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carrying out change.
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Useful evidence suggests that in countries where well-educated teachers were not involved in
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the curriculum development process, they did not accept new changes in school textbooks.
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Result of weak academic skills of researchers
With lack of academic skills in researchers responsible for designing curriculum for schools, the
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most important feature of curriculum, i.e. content suffers a lot. Students follow rote-learning
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process, because the content of their books does not match to their educational skills.
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In order to make students problem-solvers, Shabbir argues that our books must contain
questions that relate to problems we face in our daily life. By answering those questions,
For example, while studying the concept of speed in science, students must be given questions
related to real-life examples of speed such as speed of a car etc., so that they know the
application of the concept.
EAST has developed a curriculum that provides activity-based learning to students and gives
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Q.5 Highlight the gaps between curriculum student learning outcomes and classroom
instrucitons at secondary level for the subject science.
Answer:
Curriculum is an essential instrument used by the educational institutions for the social
development of the individual which is one of the essential objectives of education and school is
a societal organization, endowed with the mission of civilizing value transmission to the future
generation. Continuous attempt is desirable to ensure that the instrument is useful and effective.
For making stipulation to cope with the challenges and changing demand of society, review and
improvement in curriculum is required. The aim of study was to analyze the curriculum process
and development of a model for secondary level in Pakistan. The main objectives of the study
included investigation of the existing process, exploring the merits and weaknesses, obtaining
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the teachers‗ opinions and developing a curriculum development model for secondary level in
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Pakistan. Sample of the study was stratified randomly selected from all over the Pakistan and
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2200 teachers were included in the sample. For data collection Questionnaire was used as an
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instrument for data collection. Data were analyzed by percentage and chi-square. On the basis
of the data analysis major conclusions were that curriculum objectives did not endorse the
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practice of decisive and innovative thinking, policy objectives were sound devised and
interpreted into curriculum objectives. Major recommendations are the process of curriculum
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development may be coordinated with the culture and the society, the objectives of curriculum
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may be related to the national philosophy and existent life applications through detailed subject
matter. Proposed curriculum model was developed in the light of the findings of the study and
was validated by the curriculum experts/specialists)
Curriculum improvement is also a political process. It involves dealing with the different people
with their different authority bases and their different views about ―good‖ education.
Curriculum development is not an action that once takes place and move towards an end within
a school. Relatively, it is a never ending process, with understanding and imminent taken from
various feedback from assessments and then starting freshly for future progress. One of the key
roles of teacher is to take decisions about the entire aspects of curriculum as curriculum itself is
not static but dynamic in nature. Every teacher should uncover himself in a position, which
comprise of number of features and aspects. Situation analysis is most important, deep and
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beginning step to curriculum preparation, but less deeply, throughout progress effort as a check,
again at the position of execution of the new curriculum (on the whole if few of the features
have distorted by that time, which might fit be the case if curriculum development has taken a
extended time), and at last throughout deliberation of the steps to be taken as a result of
evaluation (Nicholls & Nicholls, 1974). Specialist works in close association with textbooks
boards, the curriculum centers, the education departments, the Boards of Intermediate and
Secondary Education (BISEs) and other research institutes such as Institutes of Education and
Research (IERs) in the provinces. According to Morehead (1966), a model is a minute description
of something that will be constructed later. A model is small-scale image or reproduction of
something (Hills, 1985). Only one curriculum development model is not suitable in all contexts
and for every curriculum developers. Rather, one has been advocated but others explained as
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well, so that prospective curriculum designers may choose the most suitable one for their own
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context. There are two broader classifications of models of curriculum development (Oliva &
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Gordon, 2013)
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Curriculum is a whole range of formal setup and learning experience, offered by a school.
in school cocurricular activities like sports, plays, dramas, educational television program,
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outdoor trips, and services and developmental projects or work in community. To maximize the
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benefits of school career at each level curriculum organize all learning experiences to the
student. School‗s curriculum consists of all those activities planned or motivated under the
umbrella of its organizational framework to encourage the overall development of individual
including the logical or mental, individual, societal and physical development (Mathews, 1989).
Curriculum is the sort of building comprehension and practice, analytically developed with
support of the school or institution to make the student able to enhance his or her power of
comprehension and practice (Aggarwal, 1990). Farooq, (1994) was of the view that at the time of
selection of school experiences when planning the curriculum there should have a compromise
between two approaches. Schools should incorporate those learning activities that ensure the
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individual with all possible aspects including the problems of daily life. It means that both the
experiences, that assist the learners in the mastery of basic skills and also serve the important life
needs of pupils themselves, are to be included in the curriculum. Hunkins (1987) states that
curriculum improvement should be a complete development relating a wide variety vision of the
educational system and its position within society. However, if curriculum development exists at
about ―good‖ education. Curriculum development is not an action that once takes place and
move towards an end within a school. Relatively, it is a never ending process, with
understanding and imminent taken from various feedback from assessments and then starting
freshly for future progress. One of the key roles of teacher is to take decisions about the entire
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aspects of curriculum as curriculum itself is not static but dynamic in nature. Every teacher
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should uncover himself in a position, which comprise of number of features and aspects.
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Situation analysis is most important, deep and beginning step to curriculum preparation, but
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less deeply, throughout progress effort as a check, again at the position of execution of the new
curriculum (on the whole if few of the features have distorted by that time, which might fit be
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the case if curriculum development has taken a extended time), and at last throughout
deliberation of the steps to be taken as a result of evaluation (Nicholls & Nicholls, 1974).
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Specialist works in close association with textbooks boards, the curriculum centers, the
education departments, the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs) and other
research institutes such as Institutes of Education and Research (IERs) in the provinces.
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