Abstract
The article examines teachers' perceptions of challenges in implementing the Single National Curriculum (SNC). Teachers working in primary schools were considered for data collection. For the collection of information regarding above mention issue, a five-point Likert scale was used. Collected information was tabulated and through an analysis of response data, key issues were identified, including difficulty understanding the SNC, preparing daily lessons, and concerns about teacher competence. Gender-based differences were not significant, but teachers' qualifications had a notable impact. Bachelor's degree holders reported higher challenges compared to those with master's or M. Phil./Ph.D. degrees. The findings suggest a need for tailored support and training to address these issues and improve SNC implementation, particularly for teachers with lower qualifications. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing these challenges to ensure effective curriculum delivery across different qualification levels.
Key Words
Single National Curriculum, Implementation Problems Primary Schools
Introduction
The Single National Curriculum (SNC) represents a recent endeavour by the Pakistani Government, seeking to establish a consistent educational curriculum applicable to both public and private schools throughout the nation. While the SNC's overarching goals encompass fostering national cohesion, equitable access, and high-quality education, the initial rollout specifically at the primary level has been met with a range of difficulties, as noted by educators (Malik & Rana, 2021). This review of existing literature delves into the challenges that have arisen during the primary-level implementation of the SNC and explores the suggested remedies as perceived by teachers.
Exploring the challenges within Pakistan, a developing nation, the focal point inevitably turns to its foundational elements, with particular emphasis on its education system. The educational landscape in Pakistan exhibits a division stemming from its historical connection to British colonialism within the Indo-Pak subcontinent. This division manifests through distinct mediums of instruction: English medium schools, Urdu medium schools, and Deni Madaris, contributing to a disparity between students and the general populace within the country (Kausar, 2020; Muhammad, 2019).
Recognized as a cornerstone in nation-building, education assumes a pivotal role (Jamil, Muhammad, Masood, & Habib, 2020). A singular education mechanism that encompasses uniform curriculum, language of instruction, and standardized assessment opens doors for every child to access quality education equitably. The Single National Curriculum (SNC) stands as a stride in this direction. Among its merits, a unified national curriculum stands to mitigate social disparities. Once comprehensively implemented, it promises equal opportunities for all children to receive a robust educational foundation (Irfan, 2021).
Champions of the SNC hold the belief that the concept of a universally applicable educational framework is a lofty ideal. This resonates within Pakistan, given the stark educational segregation based on factors like access, learning quality, educational objectives, social strata, and financial means. However, critics argue that the SNC represents a centralized compilation of goals, norms, and standards lacking robust research or nationwide consensus (Sinnema & Nieveen, 2020).
In this milieu, the role of teachers as implementers comes to the fore (Ahmed, Muhammad, & Anis, 2020). Regrettably, their participation in the SNC's development and evaluation processes has been limited, leading to outdated syllabi. This lack of engagement results in incomplete understanding and subsequently affects both teacher performance and the efficacy of the teaching-learning process. Unlike developed countries where educators actively contribute to curriculum design, Pakistan faces a gap. This disconnect between the education staff's recommendations and policy-making decisions is evident. Bridging this gap necessitates an alignment between national policies and educator-influenced professional practices, a pursuit the SNC is actively engaged in (Tahir, 2022).
It's apparent that the government and advisory bodies might not be fully heeding the insights of educators when formulating policies. However, the curriculum should ideally reflect government-endorsed interests, underpinning the notion of a 'unified country, unified curriculum.' The effectiveness of the SNC will ultimately be gauged through future assessments. Achieving this alignment demands a strong connection between national policy and educator-guided professional execution. To this end, the SNC is diligently striving. During the curriculum's dynamic creation process, educator input is crucial for shaping governmental policies (Panjwani & Chaudhary, 2022).
According to Abbas, Basit, and Akhtar (2021), Pakistan's education system grapples with a series of significant obstacles in implementing a uniform SNC at the primary school level. Public sector schools struggle to deliver quality education, while religious seminaries face regulation challenges. Basic infrastructure deficiencies, high dropout rates, inadequately trained teachers, and disparities in educational backgrounds further compound the issues.
A salient limitation of the SNC lies in its apparent lack of flexibility. This rigidity could stifle creativity in curriculum design and impede teacher autonomy, potentially eroding professional judgment and independence (Lipman, 2017). Additionally, the insufficient training of educators and the delayed availability of SNC-related materials hinder effective curriculum delivery (Zaman, Saleem & Ali, 2021).
Bashir, Yasmin, and Ahmad (2021) observed that workshops and national conferences on SNC implementation were inadequately organized, with provincial educators' insights not thoroughly integrated. Given the disparities in implementation readiness among schools across provinces, a robust monitoring system becomes essential to ensure accurate SNC implementation.
In essence, Pakistan's journey toward a harmonized education system through the Single National Curriculum is riddled with complexities and multifaceted challenges. Balancing national unity and educational equity while addressing pedagogical and infrastructural realities requires a concerted and adaptive effort.
Methodology
The study employed a questionnaire containing closed-ended inquiries to amass insights regarding the challenges encountered during the application of SNC in primary classes, along with recommendations to surmount these difficulties. The questionnaire, structured on a 5-point Likert scale, encompassed 36 closed-ended items. The gathered data underwent tabulation and was subjected to analysis using the SPSS software. The accrued data was scrutinized to address the research query.
The results of analysis are given below:
Table 1
Factor |
N |
M |
S.D. |
Teachers struggling to grasp the SNC content |
389 |
4.123 |
.453 |
Inability to create daily lesson plans |
389 |
3.981 |
.532 |
Lack of proficiency among educators |
389 |
4.011 |
.399 |
Insufficient teaching skills |
389 |
3.789 |
.411 |
Exclusion of teachers from curriculum development |
389 |
4.111 |
.512 |
Limited access to training opportunities |
389 |
4.019 |
.429 |
Difficulty in interpreting the SNC framework |
389 |
4.101 |
.491 |
Conflicting beliefs with the SNC ideology |
389 |
3.881 |
.399 |
Inadequate experience in teaching the SNC |
389 |
3.991 |
.401 |
Weakness in selecting appropriate teaching
materials |
389 |
4.200 |
.459 |
Table 2
Factor
|
N |
M |
S.D. |
Teachers struggling to grasp the SNC content |
193 |
4.213 |
.499 |
Inability to create daily lesson plans |
193 |
3.883 |
.511 |
Lack of proficiency among educators |
193 |
4.121 |
.401 |
Insufficient teaching skills |
193 |
3.991 |
.349 |
Exclusion of teachers from curriculum development |
193 |
4.010 |
.491 |
Limited access to training opportunities |
193 |
4.210 |
.500 |
Difficulty in interpreting the SNC framework |
193 |
4.210 |
.410 |
Conflicting beliefs with the SNC ideology |
193 |
3.999 |
.401 |
Inadequate experience in teaching the SNC |
193 |
3.899 |
.501 |
Weakness in selecting appropriate teaching
materials |
193 |
4.112 |
.491 |
Table 3
Factor |
N |
M |
S.D. |
Teachers
struggling to grasp the SNC content |
186 |
4.020 |
.491 |
Inability
to create daily lesson plans |
186 |
3.899 |
.502 |
Lack of
proficiency among educators |
186 |
4.121 |
.518 |
Insufficient
teaching skills |
186 |
3.991 |
.411 |
Exclusion
of teachers from curriculum development |
186 |
4.012 |
.477 |
Limited
access to training opportunities |
186 |
4.112 |
.399 |
Difficulty
in interpreting the SNC framework |
186 |
4.021 |
.401 |
Conflicting
beliefs with the SNC ideology |
186 |
3.991 |
.349 |
Inadequate
experience in teaching the SNC |
186 |
3.986 |
.491 |
Weakness
in selecting appropriate teaching materials |
186 |
4.199 |
.401 |
Table 4
Factor
|
N |
M |
S.D. |
Teachers struggling to grasp the SNC content |
71 |
4.231 |
.544 |
Inability to create lesson plans |
71 |
4.342 |
.467 |
Lack of proficiency among educators |
71 |
4.221 |
.419 |
Insufficient teaching skills |
71 |
4.355 |
.499 |
Exclusion of teachers from curriculum development |
71 |
4.291 |
.501 |
Limited access to training opportunities |
71 |
4.202 |
.501 |
Difficulty in interpreting the SNC framework |
71 |
4.390 |
.496 |
Conflicting beliefs with the SNC ideology |
71 |
4.399 |
.449 |
Inadequate experience in teaching the SNC |
71 |
4.223 |
.513 |
Weakness in selecting appropriate teaching
materials |
71 |
4.411 |
.500 |
Table 5
Factor
|
N |
M |
S.D. |
Teachers struggling to grasp the SNC content |
288 |
4.565 |
.557 |
Inability to create daily lesson plans |
288 |
3.872 |
.533 |
Lack of proficiency among educators |
288 |
4.132 |
.498 |
Insufficient teaching skills |
288 |
3.781 |
.576 |
Exclusion of teachers from curriculum development |
288 |
4.110 |
.511 |
Limited access to training opportunities |
288 |
4.299 |
.576 |
Difficulty in interpreting the SNC framework |
288 |
4.171 |
.500 |
Conflicting beliefs with the SNC ideology |
288 |
3.882 |
.491 |
Inadequate experience in teaching the SNC |
288 |
3.883 |
.399 |
Weakness in selecting appropriate teaching
materials |
288 |
4.002 |
.488 |
Table 6
Factor
|
N |
M |
S.D. |
Teachers struggling to grasp the SNC content |
21 |
4.200 |
.404 |
Inability to create daily lesson plans |
21 |
3.389 |
.493 |
Lack of proficiency among educators |
21 |
3.232 |
.495 |
Insufficient teaching skills |
21 |
3.302 |
.341 |
Exclusion of teachers from curriculum development |
21 |
3.343 |
.501 |
Limited access to training opportunities |
21 |
3.768 |
.410 |
Difficulty in interpreting the SNC framework |
21 |
3.877 |
.391 |
Conflicting beliefs with the SNC ideology |
21 |
3.391 |
.510 |
Inadequate experience in teaching the SNC |
21 |
3.401 |
.399 |
Weakness in selecting appropriate teaching
materials |
21 |
3.791 |
.389 |
Table 7
Statement
|
N |
Mean |
S.D. |
Teachers struggling to grasp the SNC content |
11 |
3.190 |
.421 |
Inability to create lesson plans |
11 |
3.197 |
.510 |
Lack of proficiency among educators |
11 |
3.112 |
.430 |
Insufficient teaching skills |
11 |
3.500 |
.411 |
Exclusion of teachers from curriculum development |
11 |
3.231 |
.299 |
Limited access to training opportunities |
11 |
3.398 |
.289 |
Difficulty in interpreting the SNC framework |
11 |
3.491 |
.400 |
Conflicting beliefs with the SNC ideology |
11 |
3.091 |
.391 |
Inadequate experience in teaching the SNC |
11 |
3.310 |
.398 |
Weakness in selecting appropriate teaching
materials |
11 |
3.295 |
.400 |
Table 8
|
Gender |
N |
M |
S. D. |
p |
Teachers’
response |
Male |
193 |
4.120 |
.846 |
.510 |
Female |
196 |
3.959 |
.801 |
Table 9
Qualification |
S. of Sq. |
d.f. |
M. Sq. |
F |
p |
Between |
2.833 |
2 |
1.416 |
14.175 |
.000 |
Within |
14.489 |
376 |
.100 |
||
Total |
17.322 |
378 |
|
Table 10
|
Teachers’
qualification |
Teachers |
M |
Std. Dev. |
M. D. |
Sig. |
1 |
B. A. |
80 |
4.091 |
.789 |
.879* |
.000 |
M. A. |
277 |
3.711 |
.712 |
|||
2 |
B. A. |
80 |
4.091 |
.789 |
.901* |
.000 |
Ph. D/ Phil |
32 |
3.190 |
.502 |
|||
3 |
Ph. D/ Phil |
32 |
3.190 |
.502 |
-.710* |
.000 |
M. A. |
277 |
3.711 |
.712 |
Findings
Challenges in Understanding and Interpreting SNC: Across all qualification levels, teachers expressed difficulties in comprehending and interpreting the Single National Curriculum (SNC). This challenge was particularly pronounced among teachers with master's and Ph.D. degrees, indicating the need for more targeted support in curriculum understanding.
Training Development Needs: Teachers consistently identified a lack of training and professional development opportunities as a significant problem. This issue was highlighted by teachers with diverse qualifications, emphasizing the importance of continuous training to enhance their ability to implement the SNC effectively.
Material Selection and Preparation: Teachers across qualification levels reported challenges in selecting suitable teaching materials and preparing daily lessons. This struggle was particularly notable among bachelor's and Ph.D. degree holders, indicating a need for guidance and resources for effective curriculum implementation.
Alignment with Curriculum Objectives: A common theme was the misalignment of teachers' beliefs and ideologies with the SNC. This challenge was evident across all qualification levels and underscored the importance of addressing discrepancies to ensure effective curriculum delivery.
Professional Competence and Experience: Teachers with lower qualifications (bachelor's) expressed concerns about their professional competence, while those with higher qualifications (M. Phil./Ph.D.) noted insufficient teaching skills. This highlights the need for tailored professional development programs to enhance both pedagogical skills and subject expertise.
Conclusions
The study reveals that teachers at various qualification levels encounter challenges in implementing the Single National Curriculum. These challenges encompass comprehension of the curriculum, training deficiencies, material selection, alignment with curriculum objectives, and professional competence. Effective solutions should involve targeted training initiatives that address curriculum understanding, instructional techniques, and material preparation. Additionally, efforts should focus on promoting a shared understanding of the curriculum's ideology among teachers. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of teachers with different qualification levels will foster a more successful implementation of the SNC, ultimately benefiting the quality of education in the country.
It is recommended to develop customized training programs that cater to the specific needs of teachers at different qualification levels. These programs should focus on improving curriculum comprehension, pedagogical skills, material selection, and alignment with curriculum objectives, addressing the challenges identified in the study.
Organize workshops that facilitate open discussions and dialogues among teachers to bridge the gap between their beliefs and the ideology of the Single National Curriculum. These workshops can promote a shared understanding and acceptance of the curriculum's goals, fostering a more cohesive implementation approach.
References
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Cite this article
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APA : Amin, M., Ali, S., & Mahmood, T. (2023). Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab. Global Educational Studies Review, VIII(I), 508-514. https://doi.org/10.31703/gesr.2023(VIII-I).44
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CHICAGO : Amin, Mehnaz, Shafqat Ali, and Tariq Mahmood. 2023. "Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab." Global Educational Studies Review, VIII (I): 508-514 doi: 10.31703/gesr.2023(VIII-I).44
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HARVARD : AMIN, M., ALI, S. & MAHMOOD, T. 2023. Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab. Global Educational Studies Review, VIII, 508-514.
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MHRA : Amin, Mehnaz, Shafqat Ali, and Tariq Mahmood. 2023. "Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab." Global Educational Studies Review, VIII: 508-514
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MLA : Amin, Mehnaz, Shafqat Ali, and Tariq Mahmood. "Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab." Global Educational Studies Review, VIII.I (2023): 508-514 Print.
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OXFORD : Amin, Mehnaz, Ali, Shafqat, and Mahmood, Tariq (2023), "Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab", Global Educational Studies Review, VIII (I), 508-514
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TURABIAN : Amin, Mehnaz, Shafqat Ali, and Tariq Mahmood. "Problems Faced by Teachers in Implementing Single National Curriculum in Punjab." Global Educational Studies Review VIII, no. I (2023): 508-514. https://doi.org/10.31703/gesr.2023(VIII-I).44