Beyond Texts and Test for Promoting a Culture of
Multiple Narratives and Critical Thinking
•
•
•
•
Baela Raza Jamil
Amina Naveed Khawaja
Maryam Saba
Maham Ali
Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) - 10th to
15th March 2014- Toronto
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Participation at CIES Supported by: Open Society Foundation (OSF)
Founders and Partners of CLF
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Outline
• Introduction of the Children’s Literature
Festival (Pakistan)
• Introduction of the Paper
• Background
• Research Design and Methodology
• Results and Analysis
• School Based CLFs- Case Study
• Conclusion
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Children’s Literature Festival (Pakistan)
• A social movement and a response to low
levels of learning (ASER 2013) that seeks to
promote the love of reading, creativity and
critical thinking in children
• 11 CLFs since November 2011
• Attended by over 150,000 participants
• 60 Book launches at CLFs
• Website: www.childrensliteraturefestival.com
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Key Findings from 2012/2013 Assessments: Extracts
Learning Outcomes are very low: Countries as diverse as India, Pakistan, and
Uganda face similar learning challenges
Close to 78% of children in Std. III… cannot read Std. II text as yet. Without
immediate and urgent help, these children cannot make progress in the
education system. ASER India (2013)
Almost 49% children in class 5 will graduate without class 2 level
competencies in Urdu/Sindhi , English and Arithmetic. ASER Pakistan (2013)
Only one out of every ten children assessed in Primary 3 was able to read a
Primary 2 level story and correctly solve Primary 2 level numeracy questions
up to division level. Uganda (2012)
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5
Children’s Literature Festivals till Date
Mega CLFs
District Level
• 5 National CLFs- Lahore,
Karachi, Islamabad
• 2 Provincial CLFsPeshawar, Quetta
• Bahawalpur 2013
CLF
School Based CLFs
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• Kanju and Kabal - Swat 2013
• Lahore 2014
Key Outcomes
• Impact Analysis Conducted
• Research strand added- 2013
onwards
• CLF beyond borders- Replicated
by a school system in India & Nepal
• 3 School Based CLFs
• The First Teachers’ Literature Festival held in February 2014
• More Schools interested in school-based CLFs
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Introduction
A shift from a
narrative focused
on access to one
which accounts
for access plus
quality and
learning is vital
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Reading for
imagination
and creativity
inspire
children
The school
experience for a
majority of children
in Pakistan and
elsewhere globally
is devoid of such
methods of
learning, trapped in
the culture of
‘textbooks and
tests’
Children’s
Literature
Festival (CLF)
Pakistan is a
response
precisely to
such blocks
and divisions
across school
systems
Background
Reading
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Education
System
Reading Habits
declining in Pakistan
Poor Teaching
Practices: Rote
learning ; no critical
thinking
School libraries are
either non-existent,
inaccessible if present
or poorly equipped
Minimal TeacherStudent Interaction.
Poor Curriculum
NEP (1998), NEP
(2009) – endorse
libraries and reading
Assessments
encourage rote
learning too
Research Design & Methodology
Qualitative Impact Study
Across 3
Variables:
Reading,
Writing, and
Creative Arts
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Data
collection:
Questionnaire
and Case
Studies
Comparison
across School
61 Lahore:
Categories &
10 Islamabad, Across Teacher
05 Swat
Qualifications
76 Schools:
Research
Design &
Methodology
• 3 questionnaires: school
administration, teachers, students
• School based CLFs: 1 school in Urban
Lahore and 5 schools in Swat
• Total Schools 76
Challenges
Faced
• Response bias on the part of school
administration
• Teachers’ influence on students’
answers
• Mitigated through longer interviews
with children – the key beneficiaries
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14 Concurrent Strands of CLF - Catering for Large Numbers
Read & Sing Aloud Stories and Songs
Theatre and Skits
Workshops on How to Illustrate a Book, Creative Writing & Expression
Digital Stories – ICTs; Workshops on Comics Production
Plenary Sessions on: Mother Tongue, Critical Thinking, Textbooks & Curriculum, Inclusion
Reclaiming Heritage & Diversity – Museums & Workshops
Active Citizenship – Charter of Compassion
Children’s Films
Puppet shows and cartoons
Multi-experience Stalls
Bol Key Lab Azaad Hain Terey – speak for your lips are free
Open Expression for Children in Prose & Poetry –any language (age groups 5-11 & 6-17)
Mural & Art Sessions
Book Launches
Book Fair & Learning Stalls of NGOs/Local Partners
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12
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Analysis
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School Type
All Girls
All Boys
School Category
Co-Ed
Private
Low-Cost Private
Public
100%
90%
80%
Percentage
70%
60%
25%
68%
45%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
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14%
29%
17%
45% Moderate to Hi Fee private schools
29% Low cost private schools
25 % Government schools
Main Findings
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Significant
impact across
All categories
62% of the
schools
implemented
CLF activities
80% of
students’
interest in
reading,
writing and
arts increased
58% of the
teachers
replicated CLF
activities
Improvement in Students
According to Management
Percentage
Yes
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
19%
Teachers Promoted Activities at
School
No
No
19%
16%
29%
Creative Arts
81%
81%
84%
71%
46%
54%
Creative Writing
30%
Reading
Reading
Creative
Writing
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Creative Arts
Yes
70%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Percentage Improvement
According to Students
Yes
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
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No
5%
10%
95%
90%
Reading
Creativity
Comparative Analysis Based on School
Categories
Public
Private
73%
70%
100%
69%
57%
93%
50%
55%
92%
New Activities
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Low-Cost Private
Pedagogical
Change
CLF Promoted
Reading
Measures Taken by Teachers
Private School
Yes
No
100%
80%
Yes
100%
35%
54%
35%
60%
40%
Low-Cost Private
School
No
25%
80%
46%
20%
65%
40%
Yes
No
100%
19%
25%
80%
32%
30%
68%
70%
50%
60%
60%
65%
Public School
75%
81%
50%
20%
40%
75%
20%
0%
Reading
0%
0%
Creative
Writing
Creative
Arts
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Reading
Creative
Writing
Reading
Creative
Arts
Creative
Creative
Writing
Arts
Percentage Improvement in Students
Low-Cost Private
Private
No
No
Yes
15%
Creativity
85%
4%
Reading
96%
0%
50%
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100%
Public
Yes
No
7%
Creativity
93%
7%
Reading
93%
0%
50%
100%
Yes
6%
Creativity
94%
6%
Reading
94%
0%
50%
100%
Percentage Private Schools with
an Improvement in Students
Yes
100%
19%
80%
Impact on Private School
Teachers
Yes
No
21%
19%
79%
81%
Replicated
No
56%
44%
60%
40%
81%
New Ideas
77%
23%
20%
0%
Reading
New Activities
Creative
Writing
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Creative
Arts
67%
0%
20%
40%
33%
60%
80% 100%
Percentage Low-Cost Private
Schools with an Improvement in
Students
Yes
Impact on Low-Cost Private
School Teachers
Yes
No
No
100%
80%
29%
27%
71%
73%
18%
Replicated
52%
48%
60%
40%
82%
New Ideas
90%
10%
20%
0%
Reading
New Activities
Creative
Writing
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Creative
Arts
72%
0%
20%
40%
28%
60%
80% 100%
Percentage Public Schools with
an Improvement in Students
Yes
100%
Impact on Public School
Teachers
Yes
No
7%
7%
93%
93%
8%
Replicated
92%
New Ideas
No
70%
80%
30%
60%
40%
85%
15%
20%
0%
Reading
New Activities
Creative
Writing
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Creative
Arts
90%
0%
20%
40%
10%
60%
80% 100%
Comparative Analysis based on Teacher
Qualification
Pedagogical Change based on Teacher Qualification
Yes
No
100%
34%
80%
41%
67%
60%
40%
66%
59%
33%
20%
0%
Masters
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Bachelors
Twelfth
Impact on Teachers
Masters
Yes
100%
26%
Bachelors
No
Yes
100%
11%
34%
80%
60%
40%
Twelfth
No
Yes
100%
9%
74%
66%
80%
45%
40%
80%
60%
91%
100%
100%
55%
20%
20%
0%
0%
0%
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75%
40%
73%
20%
New
New Ideas Replicated
Activities
0%
27%
60%
89%
0%
No
New
New Ideas Replicated
Activities
25%
New
Activities
New Ideas Replicated
Measures Taken By Teachers
Bachelors
Masters
Yes
Yes
No
100%
100%
80%
25%
31%
55%
Yes
100%
29%
50%
60%
60%
40%
No
21%
80%
Twelfth
75%
69%
45%
20%
40%
79%
71%
50%
Reading
Creative
Writing
Creative
Arts
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Reading
Creative
Writing
Creative
Arts
0%
100%
100%
Creative
Writing
Creative
Arts
40%
20%
0%
0%
50%
60%
20%
0%
80%
No
50%
0%
Reading
School Based CLFs- Going Beyond the Pledges
• First two school-based CLFs organized in Kanju and Kabal in
district Swat - Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) province
• Conflict Areas, schools once occupied by militants.
• Two Boys’ Government Schools hosted the CLFs- 19th and 21st
December, 2013 inviting many schools in the neighborhood.
Some girls schools also came from the vicinity.. !
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Testimonials from Teachers, Students, Parents, & Education Officials – Swat Dec. 2013
A Healing Learning and Feeling Festival
“CLFs for the children of Swat were held on 19th and 21st of December, 2013 in the GHSS Kabal and GHS Kanju schools. I
was invited to those festivals and was amazed to see the efforts. It was something very new for us and for children. It
works on the hidden qualities of students which is very good from their educational point of view.” (Teacher)
“I attended the CLF Kanju. The session on Story Telling with expressions was a unique experience for me and I learnt how
reading could be made more interesting.” (Student-CLF Kanju)
“My expectations from the festival weren’t high when I was invited to the CLF Kanju as I believed it to be an ordinary event
similar to other functions that usually happens here. However, at the day of the CLF, I was captivated by the colorful
buntings and other decorations at the school….This was the first time ever that I saw such a large number of children
enthusiastically participating in a program like this. I am extremely thankful to the organizers of CLF for holding such a
program in our area. Without any doubt, such events stimulate the children’s interest in education and tap their hidden
potential, bringing out the best in them.” (Parent)
“This was a great experience for me and I believe whoever attended this festival, liked it a lot. Such festivals are crucial for
our children’s future as they help in bringing out positive changes in them. The CLF brought awareness in our area
pertaining to reading and learning.” (Parent-CLF Kabal)
“I was spellbound by the number of students participating in the CLF Swat from different areas of Swat. Their participation
was truly heartwarming….During the role playing session, I was very excited as it felt I was reliving my own childhood and
thoroughly enjoyed myself.” (ADO-P&D Ed Official )
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School Based CLF- Lahore
• Sanjan Nagar School Hima Campus, Lahore
• Located in a minority area – host school inviting 5-6 schools
from the neighborhood
• SNSS attended three CLFs: CLF Lahore 2011/2013, CLF
Islamabad 2013 – participated in making /rendering of the CLF
anthem too
• CLF organized on January 31st 2014
• Packed with interactive activities
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Launch & Opening Ceremony of CLF
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A Skit on Punjabi Literature by
Primary School
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Special Session on interpretation of “HEER”
with Mr.Syed Waseem Alam
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Puppet Show by Sanjan Nagar Students
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A session on Understanding Ghalib the 19th
Century Poet by Dr.Arfa Syada Zahra
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Story-telling and Creative writing Sessions
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Session on Power of New Media and its safety
measures by Google Pakistan
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A Beautiful Session on PEACE EDUCATION by
Rabtt (LUMS Students)
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Session by Misbah Rani on Inclusive
Education
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Glimpses of Art Work- Facilitated by Artist Sadaf
Naeem
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Certificates/Awards Distribution to students in
best writer and Mural Art Category
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Community Participation in the EVENT
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Conclusion
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CLF had a
significant
impact across all
school systems
Greater Impact
on Public and
Low-Cost Private
Schools
Willingness to
replicate CLF
activities greater
in Teachers with
a Bachelors or
Masters Degree
CLF stands as a
challenge to the
current
education
system in
Pakistan
Questions?
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