“Only the teacher and, perhaps, a blackboard and writing materials are found as universally as the textbook in our classrooms,” observes an author writing on education in general. Definitely, textbooks are very much a part of schooling across the world.

However, textbook policies may vary from country to country — some are mandated by the government and used in every school while others can choose textbooks published by the private sector but the content is based on the school curriculum set by their governments. From time to time these textbooks are given a makeover and upgraded with new knowledge in line with the educational philosophy in vogue at a specific time.

Those concerned with education in Pakistan have seen a steady decline in the quality and content of the textbooks issued by the provincial textbook boards despite a concerted effort to bring improvement and quality to textbooks over the past six to seven years when the curriculum was revised in 2006.

Earlier, efforts were consistent with a change in education policy — a cultural undertone was added to English language textbooks and they were titled ‘Guided English for Pakistan’ and came into use in the ’80s. Urdu quaidas for classes one to 10 had quality content drawn from the best pieces found in Urdu literature for young children and adults. Science and Mathematics textbooks were appraised and developed to new methodology from time to time.

Further down the road into the late ’80s and ’90s, educational standards fell and textbooks churned out by federal and provincial textbook boards had numerous mistakes which were continually pointed out by teachers and administrators. It was not just mistakes but the content in them reflected a linear and uneducated mindset that eulogized military heroes and the ‘other’ was demonised for no rhyme or reason.

Furthermore, when Pakistan Studies were introduced by General Zia’s regime, textbooks were made to please the rulers ideologically rather than for the educational value of this subject for making school-going children good and loyal citizens. Another example is of textbooks containing content on jihad that aided the war against the Russians in Afghanistan from 1979 onwards. After the 9/11 incident, the General Musharraf regime came under increasing pressure by foreign governments to remove the word ‘jihad’ from all textbooks and this was immediately opposed by the religious right.

Textbook content is not a domain for political gains as it is damaging to young minds in the long run. The consequences of generations fed on that content is only too obvious today and for the private-sector schools the damage lay in their opting for foreign textbooks which alienated students from their own cultural leanings. One example is of history written by foreign authors who had scant regard for the history of the subcontinent and carried undertones of history written under British colonial rule. This has made Pakistan’s education system come full circle as the change envisioned by the first education minister of Pakistan, Mr Fazlur Rahman, was reversed.

In terms of textbooks, Mr Fazlur Rahman had put into place a strict policy of having textbooks written for the new country by the best talent available to it. The need of the time demanded what Mr Fazlur Rahman wisely said when he addressed the first Educational Conference held in Karachi on Nov 27, 1947: “Next in importance is the training for citizenship. The possession of a vote by a person ignorant of the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship is like the playing of a child with dynamite, and is responsible for endless corruption and political instability. Our education must, therefore, instill into the young mind the fundamental maxim of democracy, that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance; it must aim, also, at cultivating the civic virtues of discipline, integrity and unselfish public service ... There cannot be a greater source of pride and a better object of undivided loyalty than the citizenship of Pakistan no matter what political, religious or provincial label one may bear.” Clearly, an open, tolerant and unbiased approach for textbook content is advocated here to facilitate nation building.

Initially, these parameters were followed but with corruption creeping into the system a transparent policy to hire competent textbook writers did not continue. The National Curriculum 2006 guidelines gave explicit instructions on what the textbooks had to reflect in terms of teaching methodology suitable for each subject. However, those asked or hired to write textbooks have not followed the requirements as a study being undertaken by the Jinnah Institute reveals.

Textbook writers should adopt a broad-based approach to use the content selected for the subject. They must be widely read and not just experts in their own fields as writing for specific age groups requires deep understanding of educational psychology and philosophy and strong language skills as well.

As religion is already a specialised, compulsory subject in schools, the other subject textbooks are not required to carry repetitive content and must focus just on the parameters of the discipline of a particular subject. However, they must be unbiased, explanatory, attractively illustrated, well researched, gender neutral and create curiosity and interest for lifelong learning. The textbook must meticulously encourage teaching methodology based on thinking skills and activity-based learning consonant with today’s educational requirements.

Unfortunately, the vision and competence of the early generation that built Pakistan is no longer available to the present generations. Teachers with their lack of training are not exposed to the literature on Pakistan’s education system that put into practice the textbook boards and cannot differentiate between what is relevant and what is not in the textbooks they use.

Textbooks are sacrosanct as they are what students read, study and are tested on. The knowledge through textbooks can neither be one-sided, glossed over or have a hidden agenda. To improve the system with immediate effect, textbooks must be studied and approved by an independent board of competent and impartial people before more harm than good is done to an already failing system.

The writer is an educational consultant based in Lahore.

Ismatriaz70@gmail.com