SooOOooOo close
.
Rumors and speculation broke last night after Mahmood announced plans to eliminate the O and A Level education system schools in a National Assembly standing committee on Wednesday.
Govt is Planning to Eliminate O & A Level Education in Pakistan https://t.co/hK30r5IGy8
— Shakeel Ahmad (@Shakeelahmadmeo) March 22, 2019
But Education Minister, Shafqat Mahmood just confirmed that the O & A Level system will not be going anywhere anytime soon
This is complete misreporting. No plan to finish O level or A level. What I said that once we have been able to create a consensus on a single national curriculum, we would be in a position to consider a single national certification. May take a decade https://t.co/meQxJTdWVK
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) March 21, 2019
Instead what he really did was stress upon the need for a uniform education system throughout the nation, one that could be taught to every child. Currently, three different systems dominate education in Pakistan, including the O and A Level system as well as the Metric system. Shafqat’s statements were towards a bigger discussion on how to bring singularity to students in Pakistan. This did not mean immediately eradicating every O and A level school from Pakistan.
Of course, Pakistanis flipped a shit on Twitter when the news broke and rumors of the school system being eliminated started to spread like wildfire.
This was the original news
The news had generated quite an interesting debate, with polarizing views from across the board
Eliminating O and A levels won't make Pakistan any better. It's the only advance studies we have if compared to our boards. I assume the elimination would bring a downfall! @ImranKhanPTI
— 🌸 (@stressydeprezzy) March 22, 2019
Why? Matriculation is perfectly fine and slight changes can make it even better.
O and A levels costs decentralizes education and has driven the price for education through the roof.
It literally has no advantages over a well taught SSC education. https://t.co/QwSpmkHeMO
— Ahmet Salaar (@AhmetTheSailor) March 21, 2019
Do you know since when this British system said as O and A Levels was stopped in UK?
It was 1970 and since late nineties India has also stopped it. Cambridge's O and A levrl largest customer is Pakistan due our jahalat.
UK use IB (International Baccalaureate) for last 10 years.— Muhammad Umar Ali Khan 穆阿玛德欧玛尔娅丽克安 (@Muhammaduak) March 22, 2019
O & A levels are not required in our educational system. none of use.. so why not bring some competency and efficiency in the educational levels at each point.
— Izaz Ahmed (@10izaz) March 22, 2019
Matric and F. Sc Curricula is 10 times better than O and A levels'
— … (@Nayawaseem) March 21, 2019
Shafqat Mahmood called out the news for misreporting and cleared out his own stance on the subject.
(Get it? Subject? Cause school?)
We will inshallah have a consensus much sooner but I was referring to switching the system to a single national certification. For this to completely take place will take time. https://t.co/E5wCGtQCiE
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) March 21, 2019
Through a number of questions…
We have created s National Curriculum Council and to support it a specialists panel. https://t.co/UKtL3JkziZ
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) March 21, 2019
Curriculum design and implementation is a serious business. Great deal of research and effort has to be put in it to achieve the outcomes you desire. It is also important that before you enforce it nationwide you create a consensus. We hope to do this within a year 1/2 https://t.co/3Aq0caJVmq
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) March 22, 2019
2/2 Once the new curriculum has been introduced it has to start from elementary classes – 1 to 5 – and then move to senior classes year by year. That is my view but we will take input from experts. I am so glad this debate has started on a very important issue https://t.co/3Aq0caJVmq
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) March 22, 2019
And hey, being so that I personally have been through the O and A Level system in Pakistan, I for one am happy for a newer perhaps more balanced school curriculum to be introduced
Don’t get me wrong, I still cherish all of my school memories with my friends. But the studying part? The part about feeling challenged and working hard in school to ACTUALLY learn something? Yeah, that part sucked.
I can obviously only speak through my own experience but what I grew up seeing was not so great. Schools need to be fun, engaging and a place that encourages children to WANT to learn. Memorizing a bunch of facts to perform in an exam you will probably get high anxiety for and completely forget does not seem like a viable answer.
The O and A level system itself also promotes and represents a presumably ‘higher sense of class’ within Pakistan. In this country, this system of schooling is looked at by many as being the official schooling of the country’s ‘elite.’ This is absolutely unacceptable. School is school. It is for anyone who wants to learn and for anyone who wants to challenge and equip themselves in life. Admitting your kids to a school just because of the name and reputation is ludicrous and it needs to change as soon as possible.
So whatever the new curriculum will be, let’s just hope that it will give all students in this country equal opportunity and an equal chance to learn some fascinating things from whatever system and from each other, no matter what social class. Education is the most important thing a government can offer to its people so let’s hope we get it just right.
Have you seen the recent discussion on education in Pakistan? Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Love you.
This Well-Known School In Islamabad Just Sent An Extremely Fucked Up Response To A Concerned Parent Asking About Fee Discounts
This Teacher In Peshawar Has The Best Greeting For His Students And It’s Absolute Goals
Cover photo source: 92 News HD Plus