FEASIBILITY STUDY OF INTRODUCING PASHTO LANGUAGE AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

A descriptive study was conducted to find out the feasibility of introducing Pashto language as a medium of instruction in government primary schools of Khyber Pakhunkhwa. Pashto is a provincial language of Pakistan. Due to its importance in our daily life and particularly in education, it was felt necessary to conduct a study on its feasibility. The main objectives of the study were: (1) To get information about available human resources for adopting Pashto as a medium of instruction with regard to trained teachers, translators for text books, curriculum developers, reviewers and authors; (2) To find out the tendency of teachers, parents and students towards Pashto medium of instruction regarding teachers, students and parents literacy skills (reading, writing and speaking ability) in Pashto; teachers knowledge of the contents of various primary school subjects in Pashto; teachers’ qualification in Pashto and teachers, students and parents’ preferences for Pashto medium of instruction; (3) To find out barriers in adopting Pashto as a medium of instruction; and (4) To explore the advantages and disadvantages of adopting Pashto as a medium of instruction. A representative sample of 1200 students, 600 teachers of government primary schools and 600 parents (of government school students) was selected through cluster sampling technique from six sampled districts i.e. Swat, Malakand, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kohat and Bannu. Two research instruments i.e. questionnaires and structured interviews were used for data collection. Questionnaires for teachers and parents (based on 2 & 3 points scale) while structured interview for students (based on 2 points scale) were used as the main research tools for data collection. The two data collecting instruments (questionnaires and interviews) were pilot tested on limited size of the sample (twenty teachers, forty students and twenty parents) and was improved prior to data collection. The researcher carried out extensive visits for data collection to the sample districts. The obtained data was tabulated, analyzed and interpreted using t - test and chi - square through SPSS version 19 software. No significance of difference was found between the mean scores of the sample with respect to the use of Pashto as medium of instruction. Majority of parents opposed Pashto medium of instruction, because they were thinking about the future of their children in respect of higher education and competitive examinations. Parents also pointed out that their children will be relegated to the provincial boundaries only. It was concluded that the use of Pashto language in teaching-learning process was helpful but was not considered feasible in the light of maximum respondents opined against its use as a medium of instruction.