Peaceful Dispositions Built-in English Language Textbook and Teachers’ Guide at the Elementary School Level in Pakistan

Abstract

In many countries, school curricula have been seen and used as a source of indoctrination for specific theoretical and ideological beliefs in the next generations. In Pakistan, many research studies during the late twentieth century informed that textbooks were being used for the indoctrination of war-based ideological beliefs as well as some content was found to be hateful to other cultures. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the curriculum planning wing of the Central Ministry of Education in Pakistan adopted the UNESCO framework for including peace education in mainstream school curricula. In recent years, elementary school textbooks and teachers’ guides were redesigned, and new content was developed for all public and private schools. In past twenty years curriculum has been revised extensively and deeply. The centralized approach to curriculum development raised questions and critiques. This article is based on one part of the larger study of peace education in public schools of Pakistan. Content analysis of textbooks for grade five was prepared using the UNESCO framework, and interviews were conducted with the reviewers and critics. This article presents an analysis of the English textbook and teachers’ guide. Peace themes are undoubtedly found with identified gaps and the critics raised some significant points of concern.