An Inevitable solution for Pakistan Multi-Grade Teaching

Pakistan socio-economic indicators Area 796,095 sq km Population 184.35 millions Population (0-14 years) 62.83 million Population growth rate 2% (between2012-13) Pak. Economic survey 2012-13 Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000) 67.5 GDP growth rate (constant fc) 3.6 % Per capita income (mp-US$: 1368 Adult Literacy Rate: 60 % HDI 146 out of 187 countries (HDR 2013) HDI annual growth rate: 1.74 Employment to population ratio: 55.4% (HDR 2013) Expenditure on Education as %of GNP 2.0 Expenditure on Health as %of GDP 0.4 Source: Pakistan Economic Survey 2013 , HDR 2013

Enrollments Education Statistics Sr. # Indicators Rate/ Ratio MDGs Target Boys Girls Total 1 Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) (primary: class1-5 & Age 5-9) 98 83 91 2 Net Enrollment Rate (NER) (primary) 61 54 57 100 3 GER (Middle: class 6-8 & Age 10-12) 50 56 4 NER(Middle) 23 21 22 5 GER (Secondary: class 9-10 & Age 13-14) 67 49 59 6 NER(Secondary ) 13 7 Literacy Rate 71 48 60 86 8 Gender Parity Index (GPI) for primary education 0.89 9 Gender Parity Index (GPI) for secondary education 0.94 10 Youth Literacy (GPI) 0.82 Education Statistics Source: Pakistan Economic Survey 2012-13

Total Number of schools Primary Schools Middle Schools Secondary Schools M F Total 85,220 48,129 133,349 8,035 7,827 15,862 6,766 4,158 10,924 Education Statistics Number of Teachers Primary Schools Middle Schools Secondary Schools M F Total 1 29,794 12,401 42,195 351 407 758 10 11 21 2 23,601 17,366 40,967 322 439 761 13 33 46 3 12,748 6,027 18,775 372 513 885 24 38 62 66,143 35,794 101,937 1045 1359 2404 47 82 129 Source: Pakistan Economic Survey 2012-13

Public Schools with 1, 2 & 3 Teachers out of Total Schools Analysis Source: Pakistan Economic Survey 2012-13

Education system in Pakistan The education system in Pakistan comprises a mixed blend of public and private schools of multiple types and shades. Like: Formal Education Public schools Private schools

Education system in Pakistan Non-Formal Basic Education Deeni Madaris Non- formal Education

Education Services providers Article 25-A “ The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manners as may be determined by law”. In accordance to this article Federal Government as well as Provincial governments are responsible for ensuring Education to all the children up to secondary level. Private sector and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are also working with government departments for achieve EFA goals. Responsibility (Education)

Hierarchy at federal and provincial level Education Services Federal Government Ministry of Education, Trainings & Standards of Higher Education Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM) Islamabad Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) Islamabad Higher Education Commission (HEC) National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) National Education Assessment System (NEAS) Islamabad National Education Foundation (NEF) Provincial Government Department of Education District Education Department

Multi grade teaching approaches and practices 76 % of primary schools and 15 % of middle schools are in a multi grade teaching situation, majority of these schools are in rural areas. The higher prevalence in rural areas is due to scarce resources, both human and financial. In most of the multi grade classrooms in Pakistan, children of varying ages sit together in one classroom and are simultaneously taught the same subject material from one textbook, irrespective of the different learning capacities of children of each age group With a little concentrated efforts this perception can be reversed for countries like Pakistan Multi grade teaching is perceived as a secondary, less- valued alternative, which can be replaced with its mono grade counterpart if more resources are readily available. Approaches & Practices

Multi grade teaching approaches and practices In provinces Provincial institutes of teacher education and Department of Staff Development imparting trainings on Multigrade teaching to teachers. Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) have more than 13000 primary schools and providing multigrade schooling. National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) has 6581 Feeder Schools providing Multigrade schooling facilities. Different NGOs in Pakistan Like ABES, Agha Khan Foundation are also imparting multigrade teaching in their schools. Approaches & Practices

Challenges in Multigrade Teaching in Pakistan In Pakistan we have situations like, Multigrade, Multiage and Multilevel but system to address these gray areas are lacking at the Policy, Planning and Execution level. Conceptual clarity regarding Multigrade is also lacking at the level of decision making. Strong system of Capacity Building, Learning materials are not addressing the requirements of MGT. Multigrade teaching system is not embeded in National Curriculum and text books

Multi grade teaching as an alternate solution Multi grade teaching should be seen as a viable and economically feasible teaching style, rather than dismissed as an inconvenient reality due to the demographic and economic contexts of the country. In remote areas where the population density is too low to warrant multiple schools or grade-wise specific teachers, multi grade schools offer an opportunity for all children in the vicinity, rather than children up to a cutoff age limit, to attend school. works with the given limitations of finances, resources and manpower Economizes on scarce resources Allowing children of varying age groups to learn from one another Stimulates social interaction A solution

policy actions suggested by National education policy 2009 IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY In-service training shall cover a wide range of areas: pedagogy and pedagogical content knowledge; subject content knowledge; testing and assessment practices; multi-grade teaching, monitoring and evaluation; and programs to cater to emerging needs like trainings in languages and ICT. QUALITY IN TEXTBOOKS AND LEARNING MATERIALS Special textbooks shall be prepared to cater to multi- grade environments. Alternately supplementary reading material that helps self learning must be developed for such environments ATTAINING STANDARDS IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT The teachers will expose to training to in-service teachers on multi-grade methodologies till removal of teachers’ shortage in the system. Policy

policy actions suggested by National education policy 2009 CURRICULUM REFORM The curriculum also does not cater to the diverse conditions in the education sector itself (e.g. multi-grade classes), as well as, the variations within the geographical breadth of the country. Pakistan is blessed with a multitude of cultures and topographies, these fail to be adequately recognized and assimilated by the education system. In basic primary education the most important missing element is the diffused focus on the local context. However efforts have been made to overcome the deficiencies in curriculum development and its translation into meaningful knowledge Policy

Expected Outcomes of the Study Understanding of Multigrade Teaching at the Policy and Planning level. Inclusion of Multigrade Teaching Strategies into National Policy and Planning. Focus on Multigrade teaching in the pre- service and in-service teacher trainings. Material development especially training modules/ manuals and learning materials towards MGT. Special consideration for inclusion of MGT concepts in Curriculum and text books.

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