Literature Review from Module on curriculum development history of Pakistan

To day I have read t Dr Muhammad Memons’ article titled “CURRICULUM CHANGE IN PAKISTAN AN ALTERNATIVE MODEL OF CHANGE” 1997.

Dr Memon Sohib critically evaluated the history of curriculum in Pakistan. The history that started from December 27, 1947 with ever First Educational Conference held to discuss the problems including the re-structuring and re-orientation of education which could suit the ideology and needs of new developing country.(Memon 1997). At that time new born country was facing many problems in every field. Settlement of refuges, structuring of institutions to run the country, disputed financial matters with India and many more matters were on agenda. Despite all this Quid-e-Azam Mohmmed Ali Jinnah was given very much weigh the qualitative educational system which will provide the bases to nation as it should compete with the world which is moving fast. But unfortunately later on all practices in the field of education and development of curriculum were didn’t gave fruitful results. Until 1972 in country there was no permanent institution to be constituted for to development of curriculum. Prior to that task(s) for development of curriculums was given to different committees formed for same purpose.
One another issue was elaborated by Memon Sohib that is centralized text books. The text books were published with collaboration with Provincial Bureaux of Curriculum. Schools were not allowed to introduce their own curriculums. Schools running by any system bounded to adapt that curriculum which introduced by central Government. In curriculum implementation the top-down approach embedded. In curriculum making process schools and teachers role ignored. That narrow approach in development of curriculum discouraged other essential stake holders active participation so for. “The supper ordinate group imposes curriculum on the schools with the high expectations that the teachers, as subordinate group, will implement as intended”.(Memon1997).

This process need to be improve. The planed change can only be successful if there is a cooperative and collaborative approach from change agent to client, and vice versa. The notion of negotiation emphases the participation of all stake holders including teachers. Dr Memon Sohib suggested in his conclusions that “the main focus of proposed curriculum change to facilitate clients in the selecting of their own choice of innovation according to their felt need within their interpretative paradigm.