Defending the Single National Curriculum - Dr. Mariam Chughtai - Director NCC - TPE #137

Dr Mariam Chughtai is the Director of the National Curriculum Council, she comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the Single National Curriculum and dispel social media rumours.  In this deep dive discussion, we get into the weeds of the program, from discussing what it is, what it aims to do, and what has people afraid. Dr. Mariam and I discuss the minimum standards for education, the problem with NOCs, Policy Making, Teacher Training, Overloading Islamiat and the criticism from minorities.  Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience Should the SNC be limited to just giving minimum standards?  Is the state using education as indoctrination?  Does SNC do anything to fix the education apartheid in Pakistan?  Is SNC looking to convert people?  Find out this and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.  Dr. Mariam Chughtai is Associate Dean and Assistant Professor at the LUMS School of Education. She is also the Director of Pakistan Programs for the Harvard University Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute. Previously, Dr. Chughtai taught several courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, along with Negotiations at Harvard Law School and Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. She has a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) from Harvard University specializing in Education Policy, Leadership and Instructional Practice. She has two Masters degrees from Harvard University, in International Education Policy and Education Policy and Management, and a Bachelors in Political Science from Rice University. Dr. Chughtai is based in Pakistan and working on her forthcoming book on the politics of making and breaking identity through education in Pakistan.  Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience  And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience   The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.    Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:28 Is the Single National Curriculum just minimum standards? 5:18 Getting NOCs and the Punjab Textbook Act 9:30 Punjab Ulema board and the need for a NOC 14:50 Yaksan Nizaam vs Yaksaan NIsab 20:50 Indoctrination 21:30 Teaching religion 25:00 Criticism from minority sects 29:50 Policy making and compromises 32:46 Reforming Pak Studies 38:21 Using Technology: Individualizing education vs a single national curriculum 44:00 Does SNC do anything to change the 3 tiers of education in Pakistan? 49:30 How does it prevent rote learning? 54:30 Teaching General Knowledge in Urdu and regional languages 1:02:00 Teacher Training 1:06:30 Political considerations for policy 1:09:00 Educational Consultancy Business 1:15:00 Teaching Islam to minorities  1:20:00 Is SNC trying to convert Non-Muslims? 1:29:33 Overloading Islamiyat 1:41:00 Madrassa Education