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Commission On National Education 1959
Commission On National Education 1959
Commission On National Education 1959
Introduction:
Commission on National Education, 1959 known as the Sharif Commission after its chairman S.M
Sharif. Apart from the Chairman, there were ten other members:
The Commission on National Education was appointed by a resolution adopted by the government
on 30"‘ December, 1958. The main reason was that the existing system of education was not adequate
to meet the requirements of the nation. It was inaugurated by the President, Mohammad Ayub Khan on
January 5, 1959. Addressing on the occasion the President stressed the need for a reorganization and re-
orientation of the existing education system, which would better reflect our spiritual, moral and cultural
values and to meet the challenges of the growing needs of the nation in the field of science and
technology. The Commission analyzed all the previous reports and the prevailing situations of the
country and the reforms movements in other societies and submitted and comprehensive report to the
Government after one year 1960.
Objectives:
The commission on national education outlined the following objectives of our f in educational
system
1. Training of manpower, educated citizen and competent leadership required for the country.
2. To meet the individual and collective need and aspirations of the people of the country.
3. To provide individuals full opportunities to develop their skills and for development of all the
vocational abilities needed for the creation of a progressive and democrative socity.
4. Preservations of the ideas which led to the creation of Pakistan and strengthening the concept of it
with the unified nation.
7. Training of leadership group in engineering the skills of government and commercial development ,
10. Development of intellectual abilities and building of the character of the individuals
Primary Education
1. In the view of the Commission, compulsory education at elementary level was indispensable for
skilled manpower and intelligent citizenry. For this purpose at least eight years schooling was required.
The Commission recommended achieving 5- year compulsory schooling within the period of 10-years
and 8-years compulsory schooling within a total period 15 years.
2. The main objective of primary education should be to make a child functionally literate, to develop all
aspects of his personality, to equip him with basic knowledge and skills and to develop in him habits of
industry, integrity and curiosity.
3. The curriculum should be adapted to the mental abilities of the children. It must be designed to
develop basic skills. Teaching methods should be activity-oriented. Religious education should be made
compulsory and due emphasis should be givento teaching of national language. .
4. School buildings and furniture should be simple, inexpensive, and clean and adapted to local style and
material.
5. Training facilities should be provided to teachers to meet the requirements of compulsory primary
education. Refreshers courses should also be arranged for un-trained teachers.
6. The Commission recommended that land, building, fumiture, teaching materials and residential
accommodation for teachers should be provided by the community and the Government may however,
give financial assistance to the backward areas.
2. Secondary education should bring about the full development of the child (a) as an individual, (b) as a
citizen, (c) as a worker, and (d) as a patriot enable him to understand and enjoy the benefits of social
progress, scientific discovery and invention, and to participate in economically useful activities.
Curriculum:
The curriculum at the secondary stage mustbe based on two principles. First, it must provide a
compulsory core of subjects such as mathematics, science, the national languages, English etc.., to give
every pupil the knowledge he needs to live a useful and happy life. Secondly, it should provide
opportunities for students to take up, in accordance with their aptitudes and interests, a few elective
subjects in the fields of technical agricultural and commercial studies to prepare them for a definite
vocational career.
Every child should acquire a preliminary understanding of some 10 to 12 subjects by the time has
completed high schools.
1. Fees
The appropriate proportions would be approximately 60% from fees, 20% from the
management and 20% from government. Schools maintaining better standards in equipment and staff
should be regarded As "special schools" and their grants fixed on a separate basis. Residential schools
should be given financial support to enable them to reduce their fees. They should be treated as "special
schools” for thepurpose of grants. Talented and poor students should receive scholarship.
Teacher Training:
The commission was of the view that teachers must be trained properly before entering
teaching profession. Teachers should be paid adequate salary. Teachers from class VI—X should work
for 225 days during the year (excluding vacations). The services of Education Extension Centers already
established to improve the quality of education, should be fully utilized by the Central and Provincial
Government.
Organization:
The Commission maintained that regulation, control and development of education at
secondary and higher secondary levels (classes IX—XIl) should be entrusted to the boards of Secondary
Education. The territorial jurisdiction of the Boards should follow the jurisdiction of various universities
in the country. New Boards should be set up at Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Rajshahi and the jurisdiction
of the Boards at Karachi and Dacca, should be extended to include higher secondary (intemediate)
satge.
Duration of courses:
In order to improve the standard at university level, bachelor degree courses should be
extended from two to three years. There should be two types of courses at degree level; the pass course
and the honor course. The course leading to degree of MA, M.Sc. should require at least two years in
one subject. The period recommended for PhD is minimum two years and maximum five years.
Admission:
Admission to the degree colleges and universities should be after the completion of the present
intermediate satge covering twelve years of schooling. The universities and colleges should determine
their own requirements of admission on the basis of:
2. Achievement and accumulative class record during the previous satge ot education.
Subject of study:
The Commission recommended that courses and curricula should be revised and improves
periodically, so as to make them updated and to provide for growing needs of country, particularly in
the specific areas of science and technology. New subjects like sociology, home economics, public and
business administration, journalism etc should be introduced in universities.
Examinations:
The Commission area of the view that the system of examinations has been criticized for
dominating higher education. The Commission recommended that the system should be reorganized
and the award of degree should be based on the performance of the students in final examination
conducted by the university,(75 percent marks) and record in the periodical test as well as class work (25
percent marks). Students should obtain pass marks in both assessments. Pass marks should be fixed 40.0
% in each paper and 50.0 in aggregate. For second division marks should be 60.0 % andfor first division
70.0 % ofthe total marks.
Other recommendations:
Other recommendations in the field of higher education, forwarded by Commission, related to
the function of teachers in a university, the selection and promotion of teachers, co-ordination of higher
education, students welfare a discipline. A program of guidance and counseling was also recommended
Commission to be organized in the universities.
2. Polytechnics and technical institutes should be established to produce technical personal of the
supervisory cadre in variety of areas.
References
Shahid S.M, History and Philosophy of Education.
Iqbal pervaiz, Introduction to Education.
Shahid S.M, Education Planning and Development.
Government of Pakistan of Ministry of Education, Report on Commission on