Friday, April 24, 2009

MSU scholars to try to reform education in Pakistan

From MSU today:
"A team of education experts from Michigan State University will play a key role in a $75 million, U.S.-funded effort to improve basic education in Pakistan by improving teachers’ training and skills over the next five years."

I recently submitted a journal article for review on the topic of the Axact v. SNR case. That case involves an international dispute between Pakistani-based Axact, and New Jersey-based SNR. Each company alleges the other sells student term papers, each company vehemently denies this. The evidence is very compelling against Axact - and the New Jersey District Court awarded over $300,000.00 in a default judgment against Axact and in favor of SNR. The cultural differences though between Pakistan and the US with respect to education, is worth further exploration (in the context of selling student papers).

The article states:
“It’s unfortunate, but in Pakistan teaching is one of the least-respected professions,” Mabokela said. “And so the level of training and the quality of students that enter the profession is considered to be on the lower end of the spectrum.”

And the article further states:

"Mabokela will lead two small teams of scholars and administrative staffers – one based at MSU and one in Islamabad, Pakistan. The first task is collecting data and determining the needs to create the curriculum for secondary-level teachers. Eventually Mabokela plans to tap College of Education faculty members in math, science and other subjects to help shape the curriculum. Mabokela and her team also will conduct research stemming from the initiative."

“It is challenging in that we are working in an environment that socially and culturally is not particularly hospitable to U.S. foreign policy,” Mabokela said. “But I think people, without being hysterical, are being very prudent in making sure the security details are being attended to.”

"Mabokela said Pakistan’s poor teacher training is reflected in the country’s literacy rates: Only 46 percent of the population is literate, while only 26 percent of females are literate, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Education."


This will be a big job for the MSU scholars. The differences between these two countries go very deep, as evidenced in the Axact v. SNR case.



http://news.msu.edu/story/6215/



1 comment:

Khalid said...

I didn't know about this. Thanks for the post.