KARACHI:
Recently, there has been an endless debate on the introduction and imposition of a single national curriculum. Nevertheless, without going into such deliberation and assuming that there is a consensus, there is another highly significant aspect i.e., the curriculum execution, which is seldom discussed.
The curriculum execution is the transformation of a document into accomplishment. Learners acquire the desired values through organised involvement both in formal and informal settings for which the resources are extremely significant. The teacher is the main implementer of the curriculum, which means that it is the teacher who brings the curriculum to students’ attention and mentors them into following it. Even when the knowledge dissemination is virtual as it has been during the pandemic, the importance of teachers cannot be denied. An effective teacher is skilful and innovative, and aware of the proper methodology for propagating knowledge.
However, there are many hindrances in curriculum execution so far as teachers are concerned. Teachers are usually not involved in educational management affairs such as curriculum planning and development. This adversely affects the curriculum implementation. In addition, teachers receive no support or protection from the government and are subjected to poor working conditions. Consequently, there is disinterest and poor job satisfaction amongst teachers. Given that teachers play a significant role in the execution of curriculum, the teachers must be prioritised and involved in educational management. They should not be burdened with several tasks at once; instead tasks should be distributed amongst several teachers. Job satisfaction mainly associated with salaries and other fiscal benefits in the form of incentive allowances give teachers prodigious confidence to meet the challenges. Moreover, continuous training imparted to teachers may be a great source of impetus to achieve the mission of curriculum execution.
Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2022.
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