Progressive Pakistan
The nation is gearing up for Election 2008 but issues-based politics remains a distant dream. However as an electioneering ritual all major political parties have announced their election manifestos to offer voters their pledges, promises, potential policies and programmes that will be realised if they are voted to power on February 18, 2008.
The comparative analyses of the manifestos of various political parties reveal that special emphasis has been laid on education. At least in the manifestos of Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Pakistan Muslim League-N education figures as priority number one.
Written in grand narrative most of these manifestos are economical in terms of practical strategies to realise a party’s vision. Vague statements and slogans like “universal primary education” are being raised once again. It is surprising that the government and establishment is claiming that they have done a lot in the field of education but the gross domestic product (GDP) allocated for education is below three per cent and international ratings are not showing and magnificent height in the percentages of literacy.
The slogan “Parha Likha Punjab” (educated Punjab) acclaimed during the election campaign, dies its death when the male literacy rate of Punjab remains lesser to that of Sindh and a slight difference of one per cent appears on the board when comparing the overall literacy rate of both the provinces (Sindh 55 per cent and Punjab 56 per cent).
It is a pity to see the dreams of quality education through the eyes of political manifestos which is actually a least strategically touched phenomenon.
The Centre for Civic Education conducted an issues-based comparative analysis of the manifestos of six major parties viz.
PPP, PML-Q, PML-N, MQM, MMA and ANP in Election 2008. If one judges these parties on what they stand for to improve education both in the quantitative and qualitative terms, the observed fact is that they lack any clear understanding of the real problem. Their educational plans at best are slogans open to multiple interpretations rather then specific and strategic policy initiatives to be implemented during a five-year term.
There are many ways to judge the quality of any plan and measure its practicality. While sailing through the manifestos to draw a comparison SMART’s (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound) approach was the parameter to judge the stance of political parties on education.
PML-N, PPP and MQM stand firmly on drawing specific and measurable objectives to be met after success in the elections. On the contrary, PML-Q, ANP and MMA has touched the issues more as slogans rather than a strategy. The major missing link in the manifestos is description of timeline except PML-N and PPP who designed a time bound educational sketch for enriching growth.
Apparently political manifestos of the PML-N and PPP can be described as the better ones as good paper work has been done. They have designed a somewhat practical approach for enhancing the quality and quantity of education if it is practiced in the long run.
All the political parties have shown their concern to improve the quality of education but they haven’t shown any realistic way to achieve this goal. Secondly, the overall vision about education cherished by political parties lacks democratic context. The parties also appear to be miser in talking about civic education and long awaited textbooks reforms.
Apart from the SMART approach, in depth revision reveals that there are some major distinctive features presented in the manifestos that can be acclaimed a step towards a change in existing educational system.
Training of our teachers can bridge the gap created by lofty worldwide progression in the field of education. PML-N talks about centres for professional excellence by qualified teachers for quality education while PPP take a lead by announcing development of quality assurance boards for the check and monitoring of performance of educational institutes and MQM has shared the same stance. PML-Q talks about teachers training in the form of general statement without any concrete plan. ANP and MMA has over-looked the issue without any specific plan.
The last few decades have inculcated apathy and absolute estrangement of youth from democracy in general and politics of Pakistan in particular for the reason of banned student unions. MQM and PPP have raised voices for the removal of ban on student unions while other political parties are silent on the issue. PPP has a standpoint to permit student unions to grow in educational institutes but with a ban on the use of arms. MQM stands at increasing of extra-curricular activities through elected student unions.
PPP has given practical and strategic plan for madressah reforms by curriculum revision to remove elements of hate and violence that evoke student militancy. MQM also talks about syllabus revision but their stance is to bring it in conformity with mainstream education. PML-Q talks about madressah reforms by modernisation of the curriculum in madressahs. Other parties have kept silent on the issue.
Prevailed dual standards of education has widened the gulf between government and private schools and have divided the generation further on the basis if educational disparity.
MQM has announced premeditated plans for revision of syllabi to abolish dual education standards of Urdu and English medium schools by improving the standard of Urdu medium schools. PML-N and ANP have shared the plan of revision of syllabi at all levels to eliminate multi-class education system and introduction of a high-standard uniform education. Other parties have shown no concern about the issue.
The meticulous scrutiny suggests that the agenda of political parties should be to bring revolutionary change in the existing educational system which is possible only if a highly synchronised approach is implemented to meet the global demands. There is no time left for raising enchants and fascinate the public with catchwords. It is time for ground-breaking democratic strategies, reforms in syllabi and improvement of the existing educational system to streamline discrepancies on the basis of gender, socio-economic classes educational disparity and geographical plane
Note: The article above was also published in Dawn at Education page on 10th Feb, 2008
Photos: From the Associated Press and Flickr.com
An analysis manifestos of top winners on education: Do they manifest?
Mujahid Hussain Shah
In parliamentary systems the main stream political parties influence policy making process, whether they form the government or happen to sit in opposition. Political parties form a link between the state and society, they are involved in determining the particular shape of the social institutions because they influence the policy making process; whether they form government or happen to sit in opposition. Every political party set its own policies and agendas on various issues mentioned in their manifestoes According to the rules of election commission of Pakistan each party have to issue its electoral manifesto before election that explains parties’ policy and position on various issues including education.
It is a general observation that the majority of the literate population doesn’t check manifestoes for their voting choice. Other than the lack of awareness, the strong cause of this behavior may be the lack of interest of the political parties in their manifestoes and its publicizing in the last elections 2008 the major political parties issued their manifestos only a week or two before the polling day.
Political parties lack internal debate over policy alternatives. Their priorities and preferences are not an outcome of household debates and discussion. Rather, they are identified with their leaders. Electoral candidates are relatively strong and do not depend on their respective parties for funding. It has been observed that politicians frequently change parties and alliances and even political parties has major role in this lota culture for increasing vote banks and seat. This situation displays the level to which politics in the country have been nude of ideology. Though, parties protest against the dictator ship but they them selves practice same thing such contradictions hinder the flourishing of normal democratic culture. Even call for APCs, signing of charters for democracy, and resolutions to resign at different issues, forming alliances and pledges to be one voice are echoed in the politics but the interest seeking peoples in the parties are not committed with the philosophies other than their own interest.
It is an interesting finding that Mostly parties have agendas on similar themes like Resources allocation quality education, literacy, teachers and teachers’ training, employment consideration, skill development, Vocational education, Private sector, institutional development, higher education, management ,decentralization, community participation, science and technology education, examination, adult education, Scholarships, financial help of students, teachers and teacher training etc. these themes are also recognized as the major issues by the peoples related with education, but the important thing is that what the parties has focused under these themes and further more what solution they have conceived and with what clarity and commitment. Different parties has placed different issues at the core of their policy and has emphasis with different degree on different themes mentioned above, but mostly it is found parties’ agendas are vague and theoretical with little or no details of funding and operational plans in most cases. In other words, parties promise result in their manifestoes but they rarely recognize the policy line to answer the “how” questions immediately raising after these promises
No party has made any specific commitments for improving governance and promoting accountability in the education system parties talk about quality of existing colleges, increasing the number of higher educational institutions, merit and the autonomy of Higher Education Commission (HEC) but make no clear and time-bound commitments. The PPP-P, PML-Q and ANP make no reference to the need to improving the syllabus and curriculum. PPP-P, MQM and ANP committed to lift the ban on students unions. No other party has made any mention of this issue in its manifesto. only ANP clearly talks about promoting democratic culture in education institutions. On the other hand, MQM talks about extracurricular activities in educational institutions through elected students unions, while the PML-N focuses on ethics and values based curriculum and teaching system
Looking critically manifestoes are found to be more promising and filled with supercilious ideas rather than providing clear policy statements and its frameworks. This tone of the manifestoes enforces the reader to re-search the definition of manifesto in the dictionaries—if it is policy document of document of beautiful ideas and pledges? These manifestoes address a long list of problems; but they are not practical and avoid clear solution policies with specific explanation of resource link of each promise. These sentences and pledges can easily phrased on paper but the ground realities show dozens of challenges at each step. Parties are also seen to be less interested in their manifestoes or its publicizing. This fact can be conformed from last election 2008 campaign in which Election manifestos were issued by the political parties just 10 days before the polling day, and it has been also observed that parties did not gave importance to their manifestoes in their election campaigns.
Manifestoes also display some serious contradictions among pledges for example PML (N) and MQM are very against of such systems of education that promote class disparities, but at the same time they show very tender policy towards private institutions in the same line. MQM manifesto is committed to abolish dual system of education, and by reviewing its manifesto it looks an over all approach of MQM to eliminate class disparity but at the same time, on other hand, it assure to encourage private sector in establishment of their ‘institutions’ through out the country. These types of contradictory statements are found in most of the manifestoes that are mentioned in the chapter of analyses. PTI is also against class disparity and such king of education which promotes it but at the same time it mentions in its manifesto; to offer tax incentive to the private sector for investment in education research in public and private universities, here one can not understand that why only private sector is planned to engage in research all the government universities already conduct research and most of them publish their research magazines.
Writer is a social Researcher in Sindh Education Foundation;
This article is based on the findings of his study “Manifesto analysis of Major Political Parties on education in Pakistan”
mujahidavailable@gmail.com
the information provided here about the policies and agendas of major political parties on various issues is very important But after reviewing manifestoes of these parties on their official web I feel that some of the very important facts behink the articulation and the politics of manifesto must be discussed like;
manifestoes are found to be more promising and filled with supercilious ideas rather than providing clear policy statements and its frameworks. This tone of the manifestoes enforces the reader to re-search the definition of manifesto in the dictionaries—if it is policy document of document of beautiful ideas and pledges?
These manifestoes address a long list of problems; but they are not practical and avoid clear solution policies with specific explanation of resource link of each promise. These sentences and pledges can easily phrased on paper but the ground realities show dozens of challenges at each step. Parties are also seen to be less interested in their manifestoes or its publicizing. This fact can be conformed from last election 2008 campaign in which Election manifestos were issued by the political parties just 10 days before the polling day!,it is also a fact that parties did not give importance to their manifestoes election campaigns because there is the trend of constituence based political campaigns. all of these manifestoes are drafted in english however the majority donot understand english! I hope parties will also consider these issues.
Mujahid Hussain
Social Researcher SEF
I would like to have my say that its a good strategy to make pledges and promises with the general public about future plan of action. The promises should be realistic and achieveable rather making general statements that are neither timebound nor measurable as PML-Q has did.
PPP and PML-N has presented strategic plan for enhancing education although its lackluster while compared with education strategies of neighbouring countries but still it is measureable.
As far as the political situation after elections is concerned its in a great sway. A hung parliament would not be able to meet the challenges ahead like;
* Law and order situation
* Out of reach Inflation
* Judicial crisis
* Restoration of Constitution
* Poor economic condition
* Very high hopes of general public
and above all the deal with Musharraf who is firm at his position and it would be a hard nut to make him say Goodbye as he has the hunger of rule.
So lets hope for the better