April 21, 2002

CHILDHOOD is that period in life when one takes in all impressions and believes what one sees and hears in order to learn and grow. The credulity of young children should not be exploited.

Stereotyping is quite typical on television, the dominant medium, just as it is in any other: for example books that are used in schools. Gender roles are shaped by the text in these books.

Founded in 1985 and formalized in 1995, Simorgh is a feminist/activist organization. Its focus is “to question and redefine the socially allocated roles ascribed to women and men as a step towards short-term and long-term change, leading to a just and more equitable social order”.

Simorgh has published a set of four primers called Kaleidoscope for young children studying in the primary classes. These books have been developed as a step towards Simorgh’s commitment to human rights. The themes for the stories included in these primers are taken from local folklore as also from other cultures. Sources have been acknowledged. The primers have been funded by the Royal Netherlands Embassy.

Having moved away from the moralistic tone that is prevalent in most textbooks in Pakistan, the Kaleidoscope primers prove to be a refreshing change. The holistic idea of human rights, affirming the equality issue and appreciation for gender, racial and cultural differences, is presented in an imaginative manner. Quizzes, games and exercises are also a part of these books. Based on the integrated approach, the series helps children to develop and learn language skills, mathematical concepts, drawing as well as scientific and social concepts.

The result of the endeavour of 58 teachers from 21 schools in Lahore, the Kaleidoscope series, as well as the Teacher’s Guides which accompany them, are well planned. Some of the stories in the primers have also been illustrated by them, though the quality of illustrations is not evenly good.

The teacher’s guide, which is in keeping with the useful practice now quite common, spell out step-by-step instructions, and contain useful suggestions for the teachers. For example, for Neelum Hussain’s story, “The seventh duckling” in primer 2 (it is a good take off on the popular “Ugly duckling” story), the teacher’s guide suggests the following:

“What is important is not the way we look but the kind of person we are. The seventh duckling is loved by all because he is intelligent: (i) it doesn’t take him long to understand what the other birds and animals are telling him; (ii) he has a sense of humour and can laugh at himself. The other ducklings may be better looking but he is the one who is fun to be with. This can also raise questions like what really makes us beautiful: is it our looks or is it the kind of person we are?”

Similarly, for “Tree town”, which is another delightful story by the same author, the boxed text urges the teacher to highlight the fact that “both parents provide food for the children, not just the father. Even in homes where mothers don’t work outside, a lot of work is done by them to prepare the food and get it on the table.”

Besides gender-sensitive and caring and sharing stories (e.g. the ingenious Ali Baba and Marjina series, environmental issues such as recycling, pollution and green-earth are also included. Another dimension in ‘taking responsibility’ is dealt with in the story “The big fat lie”, one of my favourites in the four primers under review. The way this story deals with the subject of bad habits amply demonstrates the clever and refreshing manner in which other issues of morality are addressed in these primers.

Women, the elderly, people with low-income occupations and minorities are usually under-represented in the print and electronic media not just in our country, but perhaps also globally. Similarly, it is seldom that children belonging to the working class or to ethnic and religious minorities are portrayed. The Simorgh publications have, to some extent, tried to address this issue as well. If all media can work jointly, they can contribute positively towards the amelioration of various socio-economic, socio-cultural and gender-related injustices.

 

Kaleidoscope 1

ISBN 969-8408-10-X

22pp



Kaleidoscope 2

ISBN 969-8408-11-8

46pp



Kaleidoscope 3

ISBN 969-8408-12-6

75pp



Kaleidoscope 4

ISBN 969-8408-13-4

95pp

Published by Simorgh Women’s Resource & Publication Centre P.O.Box 3328, Gulberg II, Lahore-54660

E-mail: simorgh@brain.net.pk

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