By Khalid Khattak
LAHORE: ABSENCE of any regulations on textbooks being recommended by private schools had made it difficult for parents to bear the cost of the books as most of the elite schools recommend expensive books from foreign publishers for their students.The prices of such books could be lowered down provided the government 
evolves a regulatory mechanism in this regard or copyrights are given to local publishers to print these books within Pakistan.Though some of the foreign big names in publishing industry have come to Pakistan and are printing books, yet the prices are still very high as compared to the local publishers’ books in the market. The import of books is also causing flight of capital from Pakistan to other foreign countries. The News talked to a number of publishers and almost all of them were of the view that there was a mafia which had been operating smoothly and making its foundation stronger day by day because of absence of checks and balances from the government.They were of the view that books of foreign publishers were more expensive as compared to books of the local publishers despite the fact local publishers were producing excellent books both in term of content and material.It is generally observed that most of the private schools especially elite schools recommend most of the books of foreign publishers and some of local publishers for their students and the parents have to spend a good amount on purchase of the books besides bearing other expenses too in form of heavy tuition fees and admission charges of private schools.The private schools offering foreign qualifications like O/A levels have no other option but to prescribe books of foreign publishers since curriculum of these qualifications is developed by the respective countries while examinations are also conducted by the foreign bodies.Majority of the private schools which offer matriculation stream recommend textbooks of foreign publishers from Class 1 to 8. However, for classes 9 and 10 all such schools of the province like public sector schools have to rely on the textbooks prepared by the Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) since boards of the province conduct exams from the PTB books.Unlike students of private schools, the government school students of the province are taught from the PTB books. These textbooks are distributed free of cost among students of public sector schools unlike students of private schools. It is generally observed that most of the schools also make it mandatory for parents to purchase books, uniforms and other study related material from prescribed shops only.Talking to The News parents of a number of students expressed concerns over costly textbooks recommended by the private schools because most of these books were being imported or published by foreign publishers. On the other hand representatives of various private schools while talking to The News shared deep reservations about the local textbooks especially the PTB textbooks saying the books did not match standard of foreign publishers both in term of content and material.They argue that most of the private schools prescribe books of foreign publishers because of their quality and standard, saying that parents prefer sending their children to private institutions because of quality education there. The importance of quality books in this situation cannot be ignored”, they add.Mansoor, whose son studies at a local private school, says he has to spend good amount of money on purchase of books and other related material. He said the school had prescribed books printed by foreign publishers owing to which these are more expensive than locally printed books.Naseem, father of another girl studying at a local private school in class 5, said the school had recommended books of foreign publishers, adding that complete set of his daughter’s course books cost him more than Rs 5,000. He was of the view that the prices of these books would have been much low if these were printed by local publishers or the PTB.Hassan, principal of a private school, said his school recommended books of foreign publishers as well as local publishers owing to quality of content and material. He said unfortunately the books being developed by the PTB were not as good as of other publishers owing to which most of the schools preferred foreign books. These books are certainly expensive as compared to PTB books but one cannot comprise on quality. He said most of the schools would be ready to adopt PTB books provided it improved quality of books’ content and material.A representative of an elite private school said only those people who could afford send their children to private schools, adding that they were well aware of expenses involved in pursuit of quality education. The price of books is not issue for them, he says, adding that they are concerned about what is the standard and quality of education being imparted to their children.All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) President Adeeb Jawadani was, however, of the view that majority of the private schools recommended books of PTB since students had to appear in exams conducted by local boards. He said books of foreign publishers were prescribed by elite schools especially those offering O/A level qualifications. He said it was unfortunate that books published by foreign publishers were not prepared keeping in view social and cultural values of Pakistan. “A class 6 book of foreign publisher recommended by elite private schools is giving sex education to small children”, he said adding, “It is unfortunate small children are being exposed to child birth process in the said book and that too with the help of pictures”.“Such books are meant for medical students”, he said adding “It is tragic that government does not ask elite private schools what syllabus they were teaching to the students”.Jawadani went on to say what would be state of education when elite schools were owned by policy makers including parliamentarians. The previous government wanted to evolve a regulatory body for private schools but to no avail, he added.“There should be uniform education system in the country”, he said adding “It is really pathetic that schools have now become status symbol”.Talking to The News, former president of Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association who also owns a publishing company, Khalid Pervaiz, said there was no checks and balances on foreign publishers whose books were being recommended by private schools especially elite private schools. Khalid Pervaiz who is also President of Anjuman-e-Tajran, Urdu Bazaar, said there was a mafia which had been operating to promote foreign publishers in the country, adding that owners of elite private schools were also favoured by this mafia. “They are working purely on commercial basis ignoring Pakistan’s ideology and culture”, he said and demanded the government take notice of the situation.Talking about the power of the book-mafia, he said even wife of the former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf had to intervene when the authorities wished to recommend books of his (Khalid Pervaiz’s) publishing house for the Army Public Schools instead of books of some foreign publishers.Academic circles are also very critical of the standard of PTB textbooks saying the government must develop books which are accepted by majority of the private schools too. They argue the move would also help in saving revenue send abroad by purchasing foreign books.Commenting on the issue, the newly appointed chairman of the PTB, Sohail Masood, agreed that most of the private schools especially elite schools did not recommend PTB books. He said that private schools, however, recommended different PTB books including Urdu, Islamiat and Pak Studies to their students.He said it was for the first time that the government had decided to outsource the book development (book writing) adding that under the plan private publishers would be invited to develop the PTB books, an exercise which was earlier done by board’s own subject specialists, he added.He expressed hope that the move would improve the standard of PTB books which would certainly help in attracting majority of the private schools. Replying to a question, Sohail Masood said there was no provision in the PTB Ordinance to regulate prices of books recommended by private schools.
evolves a regulatory mechanism in this regard or copyrights are given to local publishers to print these books within Pakistan.Though some of the foreign big names in publishing industry have come to Pakistan and are printing books, yet the prices are still very high as compared to the local publishers’ books in the market. The import of books is also causing flight of capital from Pakistan to other foreign countries. The News talked to a number of publishers and almost all of them were of the view that there was a mafia which had been operating smoothly and making its foundation stronger day by day because of absence of checks and balances from the government.They were of the view that books of foreign publishers were more expensive as compared to books of the local publishers despite the fact local publishers were producing excellent books both in term of content and material.It is generally observed that most of the private schools especially elite schools recommend most of the books of foreign publishers and some of local publishers for their students and the parents have to spend a good amount on purchase of the books besides bearing other expenses too in form of heavy tuition fees and admission charges of private schools.The private schools offering foreign qualifications like O/A levels have no other option but to prescribe books of foreign publishers since curriculum of these qualifications is developed by the respective countries while examinations are also conducted by the foreign bodies.Majority of the private schools which offer matriculation stream recommend textbooks of foreign publishers from Class 1 to 8. However, for classes 9 and 10 all such schools of the province like public sector schools have to rely on the textbooks prepared by the Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) since boards of the province conduct exams from the PTB books.Unlike students of private schools, the government school students of the province are taught from the PTB books. These textbooks are distributed free of cost among students of public sector schools unlike students of private schools. It is generally observed that most of the schools also make it mandatory for parents to purchase books, uniforms and other study related material from prescribed shops only.Talking to The News parents of a number of students expressed concerns over costly textbooks recommended by the private schools because most of these books were being imported or published by foreign publishers. On the other hand representatives of various private schools while talking to The News shared deep reservations about the local textbooks especially the PTB textbooks saying the books did not match standard of foreign publishers both in term of content and material.They argue that most of the private schools prescribe books of foreign publishers because of their quality and standard, saying that parents prefer sending their children to private institutions because of quality education there. The importance of quality books in this situation cannot be ignored”, they add.Mansoor, whose son studies at a local private school, says he has to spend good amount of money on purchase of books and other related material. He said the school had prescribed books printed by foreign publishers owing to which these are more expensive than locally printed books.Naseem, father of another girl studying at a local private school in class 5, said the school had recommended books of foreign publishers, adding that complete set of his daughter’s course books cost him more than Rs 5,000. He was of the view that the prices of these books would have been much low if these were printed by local publishers or the PTB.Hassan, principal of a private school, said his school recommended books of foreign publishers as well as local publishers owing to quality of content and material. He said unfortunately the books being developed by the PTB were not as good as of other publishers owing to which most of the schools preferred foreign books. These books are certainly expensive as compared to PTB books but one cannot comprise on quality. He said most of the schools would be ready to adopt PTB books provided it improved quality of books’ content and material.A representative of an elite private school said only those people who could afford send their children to private schools, adding that they were well aware of expenses involved in pursuit of quality education. The price of books is not issue for them, he says, adding that they are concerned about what is the standard and quality of education being imparted to their children.All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) President Adeeb Jawadani was, however, of the view that majority of the private schools recommended books of PTB since students had to appear in exams conducted by local boards. He said books of foreign publishers were prescribed by elite schools especially those offering O/A level qualifications. He said it was unfortunate that books published by foreign publishers were not prepared keeping in view social and cultural values of Pakistan. “A class 6 book of foreign publisher recommended by elite private schools is giving sex education to small children”, he said adding, “It is unfortunate small children are being exposed to child birth process in the said book and that too with the help of pictures”.“Such books are meant for medical students”, he said adding “It is tragic that government does not ask elite private schools what syllabus they were teaching to the students”.Jawadani went on to say what would be state of education when elite schools were owned by policy makers including parliamentarians. The previous government wanted to evolve a regulatory body for private schools but to no avail, he added.“There should be uniform education system in the country”, he said adding “It is really pathetic that schools have now become status symbol”.Talking to The News, former president of Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association who also owns a publishing company, Khalid Pervaiz, said there was no checks and balances on foreign publishers whose books were being recommended by private schools especially elite private schools. Khalid Pervaiz who is also President of Anjuman-e-Tajran, Urdu Bazaar, said there was a mafia which had been operating to promote foreign publishers in the country, adding that owners of elite private schools were also favoured by this mafia. “They are working purely on commercial basis ignoring Pakistan’s ideology and culture”, he said and demanded the government take notice of the situation.Talking about the power of the book-mafia, he said even wife of the former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf had to intervene when the authorities wished to recommend books of his (Khalid Pervaiz’s) publishing house for the Army Public Schools instead of books of some foreign publishers.Academic circles are also very critical of the standard of PTB textbooks saying the government must develop books which are accepted by majority of the private schools too. They argue the move would also help in saving revenue send abroad by purchasing foreign books.Commenting on the issue, the newly appointed chairman of the PTB, Sohail Masood, agreed that most of the private schools especially elite schools did not recommend PTB books. He said that private schools, however, recommended different PTB books including Urdu, Islamiat and Pak Studies to their students.He said it was for the first time that the government had decided to outsource the book development (book writing) adding that under the plan private publishers would be invited to develop the PTB books, an exercise which was earlier done by board’s own subject specialists, he added.He expressed hope that the move would improve the standard of PTB books which would certainly help in attracting majority of the private schools. Replying to a question, Sohail Masood said there was no provision in the PTB Ordinance to regulate prices of books recommended by private schools.Source: The News International
Sunday, September 28, 2008
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