A Historical and Evaluative Study Of Special Education In Pakistan By Vv Aqila Khatoon (Ali) i VS A Doctoral Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education J University of Karachi 2003 ‘6TO MY MOTHERTable of contents Certificate Acknowledgement Abstract in English Abstract in Urdu Section A Summary Chapter A1 Introduction «.......6.. Profile of Pakistan . Population Density . Province wise population Literacy Rate .. Pilot Study ... Chapter A2 Special Education in We rld Perspective: Historical Development The Scene in Pakistan ...........065 oe Section B -Quantitative > Analysis Summary Introduction ........... Chapter B1 — Patt2rn of Development (1947 — 2000) Development of special schools in Pakistan .. Development of special schools for Hi children in Pakistan . Development of special :ichools for VI children in Pakistan Development of special : Development of special schools for PH children in Pakistan, Development of Total number of SS in Pakistan ............ Development of special schools in Punjab ... Development of special schools for HI children in Punjab Development of special “oe oes (SES fevil Ey wri gs SEL yw Thier ru Fihreit£iL ren SUI SUE ole wis SPL SPL LSE Fe OG Gi Sle Salon hb ele bil LS cig horas hens eel e po S surest? vii °Section ASummary This section covers profile of *akistan including population of Pakistan, population of each province and literacy rite ete. The statistical data of mainstream schools in Pakistan is also given jneluding number of primary, middle and secondary schools, umber of teacher per school anid number of students. ‘This helped ia latter chapters to ascertain the capability of ma nstream schools to take up education of special children in case mainstreaming of special children is implemented. ‘The population of disabled psople and the division in various categories according to type of disability is also given in this section. The various components of special education systen to be investigated in depth ace identified through a pilot study. The areas oF components identitied are carly intervention, assessment procedures, special educational necds, teaching techniques, human resources, curriculum, examination and evaluation system, teach 2r uatining, mainstreaming, special education poticies and legislation, the historical developynent of special education in world perspective starting from the earliest informal efforts for rehabilitation of special children and gradual transformation into atodern formal structure of special education is also presented. ‘The overview of the practices in special education through out the World including United States of America, Europe, Japan and specially neighboring countries like China. India and Bangla Desh are also mentioned. At the end of section description of the present special educat on system of Pakistan is also given which is further investigated and analyzed ir the section B and section C of this thesis.Chapter Al Introduction Profile of Pakistan Population Density Province wise population Literacy Rate Pilot StudyChapter Al Profile of Pakistan Introduction There was a time when the education of the disabled children was considered an exercise in futility. The asstur ption was that a disabled person could never become an integral member of the society, As compared to an able bodied child the parental investment in the education 0 disabled child by the parents was either nil or minimal The teachers with professional expertise to teach disabled children were also not available and there was no infrastructure to support the education and training and rehabilitation of special children. ‘The time changed and the edi cation of disabled children stared receiving attention. A. gradual realization emerged that the education of a disabled child is as important as the education of an able bodied mainstream child. Serious thought however commenced only in carly 18" century. The awareness dawned that the education of a disabled child is not only essential for eaming a daily living but atso to help the social integration of special children: The (aching strategies for the educition of disabled children need to be different from the mainstream children. This is duc to their special educational needs and process of learning which is generally speaking a comparatively difficult and slow. ‘These and many other differences have led to emergence and development of new ‘approaches and dimensions for the education of the disabled children. With painstaking research and growing of interest subject has now transformed into an independent professional field within the Feld of education and designated as Special Education. The special education requires special skills to manage special children and also their families. The ficld of special education experienced accelerated growth from the sixties and both public and private began establishing schools and educational and research institutions. The establish nent of formal schooling system resulted in the involvement of more and more professionals, experts and social workers form different fields. The students were grouped gradually according to their special educational necds. These roupings led to different spccialization and differentChapter Al Profile of Pakistan schools for each group of chililren. The teachers also had to specialize their expertise according to this grouping. Profile of Pakistan Pakistan is a country with civersified sub-cultures and languages. The dominant religion is Islam. Before 1947 Pakistan was a part of the Sub-Continent. The cultural interactions within different communities like Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and a long history have greatly influenced the present day cultural scenario in Pakistan. The influx and influences from outside has also been a significant factor in giving the present shape to Pakistan’s culture, The major outside influences have been with Arabian, Persian, Turkish, English, Pakistan secured independence in 1947 from British Raj and became a sovercign state comprising of two major arec, namely East Pakistan and West Pakistan. The Eastem wing was predominantly Bengali speaking and broke away from Pakistan in 1971 and West Pakistan was and since then what we call Pakistan today. Pakistan has four provinces, Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and North Westem Frontier Province. The language of cach province is different, with Urdu as national language and serves as a means of communication for inter provincial contact. English is also widely used in offices, courts, media, and’ commercial establishments and in studies of science, engineering and med cine and some educational institutions. The cthaic multiplicity and cultural diversity is also prone to influence the special education practices in Pakiston especially in case of hearing impaired children. To cite an example sign language is «lifferent from province to province and agreement on one sign for a particular function or article is still to be achieved. This diversity and conflict of ideas and practices within Pakistan demand exhaustive documentation of development and provide 1 strong basis for proper research in the historical perspective,Chapter A) . Profile of Pakistan In Pakistan systematic interes in special education practices and research is very recent and can hardly predate he creation of the country. Although consciousness and feeling about the disabled persons has always been experienced in Pakistani socicty. However it never crystallized into systematic care and true educational intervention. The awakening of serious interest in the field followed. The interest in the problems and education of disabled children, the acceleration of interest the world over occurred only in the sixties of the twentieth century. In Pakistan interest in the feld of special education can be precisely dated about twenty years later, at the end of the seventies, Since then the work is being done both in the public and private sectors. The entry of government in the field of special education ahs exerted a very healthy and dynamic impact on the growth and development of special educetion in the country. It has also played a significant role in motivating the private sector and today the non-governmental efforts have expanded and are growing even at a fasier pace. In fact, the volume of work that is being done in the govemment and private institutions warrants its prop: record and documentation and compilation. Such an effort is needed to support and sustain, in general terms, the tempo of the work in progress to ensure the quality and sense of direction of special education in the country and to proinote awareness about disability and shocial education, specially, among, those concerned with the policy planning and work in the educational and social service sector. Professionally, the work will promote research interest in the field and may contribute to the monitoring of special education work in its eventual direction of mainstreaming. Such an effort will also have special relevance to the work being done to expand opportunities of professional training of teachers and other staff working with special children, : The (ola area of Pakistan is 796,095 square kilometers with population of 130.58 million. Pakistan shates only 0.675% of the world land and 2% of the world in population. The country ccmprises of four provinces namely Punjab, Sindh, Nort) West Frontier and Baluchistan, There are federally administrated areas namely Islamabad capital city and tibal area (FATA), Pakistan has continental type of elimate 4Chapter Al Profile of Pakistan with extreme varieties of the temperature depending on the topography of the country. Pakistan with population of 130.58 million in 1998 stands 7" among the world’s poptilous countries, The distribution of male/femzle and urban /Rural population Male 51.9% Female Urban Rural Table Al.1 Population Density in Pakistan Population in | Persons per Year _ Million Sq. Km. 1961 42.86 34 1972 65.31 82 yost | 84.25 106 19984) 130.58 __ 164 Table Al.2 Province wise population, 1998 (provisional) Arca Both Sexes (million) | Avg. Annual Growth Rate(%) Pakistan] 130.58 2.61 Punjab 72.58 2.55 | Sindh 29.99 2.71 Balochistan _| 6.51 2.42 Islamabad | 0.80 . 5.15 NWPP 17.56 2.75 FATA 3.14 2.11 Table AL3. +Chapter Al | Profile of Pakistan Literacy Rate Literacy Rate in Pakistan and ?rovinces by Sex and Urban-Rural Areas (1996-97) Total Urban Rural Region | Both Male Female | Both Male Female | Both Male Female sexes sexes sexes Pakistan | 39 Sl 28 [S865 50 ard 7 Punjab [40 51 28 [57 OS 3 32 aS 21 Sindh [45 57 33 {ol oF 30 (6 fe NWFP | 28. 46°~2~«17~«4(46~~SCSS ia 7 a 3 Balochistan [27 «4—~=~C~*SCS~*SSSSC SSCS 7 9 Table Al.4. Province wise analysis of cata indicates that literacy rate is highest in Sindh as compared to other provinces. The literacy rate is higher in urban areas as compared to rural areas in Sindh for both males and females. ‘The some of the figures rel: ted (o mainstream schools are given below. [ Primary Schools _ . _ 158,511. Middle Schools 15,909) J High Schools _ 10,004 Secondary/Vocational Institutions _ 673 Teacher per Primary schools _ _ 2 Teacher per Middle schools 6 Teacerdh per High schools 16 Students per Primary schoo's 105 | Students per Middle schools 246 Students per High schools (class IX & X)_ 164 | Excerpts from SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS (2) Pakistan 1999 AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK ON STATISTICS. Federal Bureau of Statistics, Statistics Division Govt. of Pakistan. The subject of special education is becoming inereasiryly dynamic. New ideas, practices, teaching methodo ogies, special needs, designs of schools, are proliferating a rapid pace. The debates on labeling, categorization of special, children, definition of these categories, assessmen’ techniques, currieulutn planning and designing, syllabus, 6Chapter Al Profile of Pakistan examination procedures, class room management techniques, ete are continuing all over the world. The interactior with parents and pressure groups and advocacy groups are also remolding and remodeling the shape of special education every day. ‘The research work in this ficld is accumulating fast and the implementation of the ‘outcome of the researcher is more pronounced than in any other area of education, This is also true in the context of Pakistan if we compare the situation with the mainstream education system). he recent developments in the field of special education have made this area of real interest for rescarchers. It is very essential to trace and keep a record of all those happenings and changes which are shaping special education in Pakistan. The historical trerids always provide a basis for future planing and development. This research will help the teachers and those who are interested in the field of special education in understar ding how our present special education system has developed over the years and the forces behind these development and changes. This recounting of special education developments in the country will be done in a way as to help in planning and future «evelopment of the field. The significance of this study 13 too obvious to be discussed at length. The discussion will cover roughly more than fifty years of and can rely on primary resources, which are readily available in terms 9f scheme, and people who made contribution in the field. The study will also help in organization of field as professional field of study and may contribute to the furthzr development on sound lines. The evaluative section will present a critical assessment of the work done and should not only increase our understanding but also suggest the lines on which work needs to be continued in Pakistan's social and cultural context. The study may also motivate others to continue the effort for documentation in the field of special education as it expands and takes deeper roots. The investigation and documentation of the history of special education in Pakistan is essential to siudy the developir ent of special education infrastructure in a developingChapter Al Profile of Pakistan country and the problems and the difficultiss that beset ihe field. The influences from outside and their impact in acvelerating the process are also not without merit. The availability of a document with relevant record of progress to date will help in planning the future programs in the field, The special education development has been a continuous process and its observation and documentation can always be helpful ia chaiking out future course of events. As compared to other countries Pakistan is a young country and has been on the world map only for the last fifty years, From the point of view of special education, however, the time period is significant. as these years also represent an unusual accelerated growth in the interest world over in special education. The period of sixties marks a high point in legislative activity and resouree provision for special children in the United States. The impetus on the world was felt by European countries, and in Asiatic region in Japan and China, Urited Nations and its different organizations also became interested in special educatior and thus special education and the related problems caught fire the world over. In Pakistan interest in disability and deprived section of population has been with us from the very beginning but this has been mainly, a private activity kept alive by philanthropists, and voluntary social workers. The govcinment though paid lip service and listed casual references in, its policies, actually did nothing, which can be called a systematic and organized ini iative in the field. It was in late seventies that at the initiative of the then President of the country that government participation in the fiele was initiated. This was also the lime when United Nation’s declarations about special people and special children gave added impetus to this field. The personal interest of the President (Late) Zia-ui-Flaque in special education in the context of Pakistan however can be counted a: a factor of singular importance which pushed the gover ment to plan a long range poliey, initiate different programmes and projects, allocate resources and funds and even start legislative activity in the field. The government contribution mad: the ground congenial for non-government organizations to step up their activities in he field especially in the cities. The amount of activity generated both in the public and private sector has given a momentum to the processChapter Al Profile of Pakistan and the country is now well on its way to greaten the professionalism of the field of special education. ilot Study To identify the parameters a pilot study was conducted by the researcher. The questionnaires were prepared ind sent to teachers of special children, parents of special children and special persons, ‘The sample covered all the regions of Pakistan and all the categories. The teachers were selected from government, as well as NGO sectors. The sample size for pilot study was limited to the following, * Special teachers of all categories combined 25 © The parents of special chi‘dren all categories combined 25 © Special persons /students all categories combined 25 ‘The researcher also conductd meetings with teachers, parents and special ‘people individually as well as in cluster. The members of the Parent-Teacher Associations were also consulted. After the detailed study of responses and discussions with all concerned and leaders in the lieid, following parameter have been selected for detailed study and investigation to pit, point the weaknesses and strengths of the special education system in Pakistan. «Early intervention programmes + Assessment and educational placement, teaching strategies © Availal 'y and eapabilit es of professionals * The curriculum regular, vocational and co-curriculum * Provision and use of special educational needs + Evaluation & Examination procedures * Teachers’ Training programmes © Mainstreaming * Goverment policies and legislation All the above parameters are investigated and discussed in detail in the sections B and C of this thesis,Chapter A2 * Special Education in World Perspective: Historical Development ¢ The scene in PakistanChapter A2 Special education in world perspective :Historical Development Special Education in World Perspective Generally over the ages, the disabled have been rejected and exploited by the society, the carly history of the handicap is particularly pathetic and tragic. During ancient times Greek and Romans did not believe the weak or disabled were candidates for education e.g. the Greeks did not allow disabled children to live. Greek infants were examined by council of elders, and if the child appeared to be weak or disabled, it was thrown from a cliff or abandoned in mountains to die. In carly Roman society, children who were blind, deaf or mentally retarded were thrown by their parents into the Tibet river, The efforts of the religious goup and missionaries should. also be given credit for early efforts to educate the disabled. The physicians also involved themselves in 18" century and in giving attentioy to special children were well ahead of the teachers Until recently alf the efforts nade for the education of disabled were supported by private sourcés and from a few compassionate people, Special children which are also termed as exceptional children are the minority of students whose educational needs are very different from those of the majority of the children, This minority group of children requires a special te:ching techniques and competence together with extra support of the school services which are not usually required for the general run of children. Historically, children received special education services were developed when they were excluded from regular education services and could afford instruction in private settings. Little consideration was given to maximizing the probability that the student would receive an appropriate educational program. The settings served a custodial function. The emergence of the discirlines of psychology and sociology and beginning of - widespread use of mental testing in carly twentieth century had enormous implication for the growth of special education. As the education profession itself matured, the school teachers and schoo! administrators realized that a large number of children must be given something beyond the ordinary class yoom experience. The movement 10Chapter A2 Special education in world perspective : Historical Development for intelligence testing has its rots in this need to assess children of low intelligence. ‘The movement for the training and education of disabled persons at a formal level had to wait till the beginning of the twentieth century. The leading social workers lik: Aristotle, and PJato arid the emperor Justanian wrote about the issues faced by the deaf people of their times. The documents dated back to fifteenth century report about tie physicians in Europe who worked with deaf peoples Padro Ponce De Leon (1520 - 1584) who was a Spanish monk can be credited with being the first teacher of deaf students He had remarkable success teaching his students to read and write and speak Jean More Gaspard Hart (1775 ~ 1838) a French Physician who wrote about the education of'deaf students, is he person fo whom most historians trace the beginning of special education as a discipline. In1799 he started to train an mentally retarded boy then labeled: as “idiot ” or “insane” the name of the boy was Victor, age 12. The knowledge of people about visual impairment dates back to ancient world, The record of ancient Egypt shows that visually impaired people were accepted in the society. Homer, the author of Odyssy’ and liad was reported to have been blind, The first school for the blind was founc ed in Paris in 1784 by Valentine Hauy (1745 — 1820). Classification of special children is 2 aiajor activity in special education and is an on going process. The classific:tion is also necessary sometimes for taking decisions under law as some concessions are given to particular type of special people. ‘This classification of special children also helps professionals in planning treatment programs for them The classification also facilitates data collection, research and communication. ‘One of the earliest known classification system was developed by Hypocrites (460 - 377 BC), He believed that thse conditions or forms of mental disorders were present in early Gréek society. Mina was characterized by a constant widely disorganized slate of activity Melancholia: referred to depressions or lowered level of activity. Phrenitis referred 1 plirentic fits of behavior. Hippocrates based his system: on observations of human behavior. “fhe accuracy of the classification and the names 11Chapter 42 Special ec'ucation in world perspective :Historical Development hypocrites gave to them is evident as the terms maniac and schizophrenia are in common usage. Hom (1924) wrote a book, whch is the first text book dealing with the “education of exception children”. Horn classified the special children to assist in provision of educational services in the following manner ‘© The most highly endowed yroup. «The most poorly endowed zroup. * Children who are exceptional for reasons primarily temperamental. + Incorrigibles and truants. «Speech defectives, : * Children who are exceptio » for reasons primarily physical © The deat. © The blind. The crippled The similarities between Horn's first system for classifying exceptional children and the one currently adopted by nos! professionals in special education are striking. The “most highly endowed” are today called gifted aad talented, They are exception because of their superior performance on intelligence tests and their unusual skills i specific areas, such as art, niusic, and so on, The most poorly endowed” are today called mentally retarded. ‘They are exceptional bec‘use of their inferior performance cn inteltigence tests arid theit lack of facility with the most fundamental tasks, such as eating, dressing, reading, writing, and so on. Then “incorrigibles and truants” of yesterday are the emotionally disturbed students of today. Their behavior is the source of their problems, The parallsls in the categories of speech defectives, deaf, blind, and crippled should be obvious. In fact, the only difference in the list of categories. recognized by the first classification system for exceptional students and the contemporary scheme is the tbs nce of learning disabilities from the former. Since the category of learning disabilities is a product of the sixties, the students in it today were