Huma Zia Sehar Saeed Saba Saeed Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 10 th to 15 th March, 2014 Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 10 th to 15 th March, 2014 PARTICIPATION AT CIES SUPPORTED BY: OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION (OSF)

In Pakistan, English as a language of instruction continues to be overplayed in the absence of a conclusive language policy and a colonial legacy. National Education Policy (NEP, 2009) endorsed English as a language of instruction from class 1 to 12 in general and from class 6 upwards in particular as a language for teaching mathematics and science In 2009 Govt. of Punjab announced English as the medium of instruction across all public sector schools (grades 1-10)

To provide an in-depth exploration of the teachers' preparation to use English Language in classrooms PEELI 2013 ASER 2013 through will contribute in formulating policy for benchmarking and strategic planning by policy-makers, academics, teachers and implementers.

Review of Existing Literature Research Based Quantitative Evidence Mixed-method approach NEP 2009 Punjab Sector Plan PEELI 2013 ASER 2013 Teachers’ professional contexts Attitudes towards English as the medium of instruction

This section of the paper discusses findings from  Punjab Education and English Language Initiative  Annual Status of Education Report Pakistan -2013

Took place in March June districts of Punjab The Study Covered 2008 teachers 1564 public and 444 private school teachers The Survey Gives a detailed & interpretative account of English Language competencies and preparations of teachers The Database

 Gauging the English language competencies of teachers of Punjab (public & private) through APTIS assessments and basic self-assessment.  First-hand information from teachers on their motivational factors and attitudes to English and English medium education.  Identifying potential barriers to development of English medium education.  Making informed statements about the readiness of the education system in Punjab to take on English medium education.

Results from all three survey tools were aligned with each other to present consolidated findings in terms of teachers’ personal and professional contexts, classroom practices, hurdles and opportunities that exist for teachers in Punjab. 1 Baseline Questionnaire 2 APTIS 3 Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

PEELI Baseline Survey M.A/MSc degree holders Use only English during their class time English language very important for academic success and students’ career Received training in English Teaching Methodology (ETM) English as the proposed medium of instruction Textbooks to be completely bilingual 54% public teachers 42% private teachers 70% public teachers 80% private teachers 56% public teachers 52% private teachers 75% public teachers 60% private teachers. <10% public teachers <10% private teachers. 16%-25% Public 30%-35% Private

Assess Abilities Speaking Listening Writing Two componen ts Grammar & Vocabulary Speaking Scoring A0 to B1 Lowest to highest

Both public and private teachers low on speaking, reading and writing English ! A huge Challenge

Middle level teachers performed better than primary level teachers

“National Education Policy (2009) has not been implemented properly. Students who have never studied English are made to study all the subjects in English which is unfair” “What to say of the students, teachers themselves are neither trained nor qualified enough to deliver lessons in English”

10,000 Volunteers – Citizens – Youth !

Citizen led large scale national household survey (3-16 years). Quality of education in rural and some urban areas (5-16 years). Seeks to provide evidence on learning and access. Influence National & Provincial policy and actions for Right To Education (RTE) Article 25-A. Provides information for tracking MDG/EFA trends and targets up to Influence goal setting for Post-2015 agenda.

ASER Assessment tools : 1. LEARNING Reading (Urdu/Sindhi/Pashto) Arithmetic English Assessments are based on Class II level curriculum for English & Urdu/Sindhi/Pashto and Class III level for Arithmetic. 2.HOUSEHOLD SURVEY 3.SCHOOL – GOVERNMENT & PRIVATE

138 Districts (Rural) 263,990 Children | 6,132 Schools | 4,382 Villages | 87,044 Households 13 Districts (Urban*) *Urban: Karachi (East, West, Central, South and Malir), Hyderabad, Sukkur, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Peshawar

ASER 2013 reveals that 58% of the public sector class 5 children can read class 2 level sentences

62% class 5 children could read sentences (class 2 level) compared to 61% in the previous year

Strengths 32% of public school teachers have received training in English Methodology for two weeks 70% of the public and 80% of the private school teachers regard English language as important for academic success 60%of the teachers prioritized training in English teaching methodology; and expressed willingness to learn English Challenges Need for more practical and pedagogical support in acquiring new teaching techniques and English language skills Dominant language scaffolds of Punjabi/Seraiki and Urdu, especially in rural areas Translation method still a prominent classroom practice

 Provide existing teachers with regular and frequent opportunities for continued growth in English proficiency.  A move towards content area instruction in secondary and tertiary education  Review & upgrade National Curriculum 2006 for English as a second language.  Recruitment processes sensitive to faculty's age and qualification, profile of primary/elementary school at district/sub-district level.