LAHORE: A book on the country’s education policies by known educationist Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui was launched by the Oxford University Press here on Saturday.

The book, titled Education Policies in Pakistan: Politics, Projections, and Practices, presents a detailed overview and analysis of the education policies that have been introduced since 1947, both in terms of their contents and characteristics.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Dr Siddiqui also offered recommendation as to how the policies could be implemented, meeting the needs of people and future challenges.

Explaining various features of the book, he said: “It is an attempt to study the education policies in Pakistan in a critical and holistic manner. It discusses the rationale of education policy and the process of its planning. It offers sociopolitical context for education policies to understand their processes of planning and implementation.”

He further said major themes in education policies -- vision and goals, universal primary education, literacy, female education, language issues, higher education, technical and vocational education, special education, religious and seminary education, curricula and textbook, and teacher education tracking each theme through policies from 1947 till 2009, when the last education policy was offered -- had been discussed in detail.

Educationist Tariq Rahman said this book was a pioneering work as nobody had previously discussed education policies, funding and implementation in Pakistan so thoroughly.

“European countries evolved the concept of a welfare state after 1940, but we are still far behind developed countries due to our failed education policies,” he added.

UET: All Pakistan Poetic Symposium was held at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) here on Saturday.

Renowned poets Anwar Masood, Amjad Islam Amjad, Shaheen Abbas, Hameeda Shaheen, Abbas Tabish, Idrees and Ali Zariyoon presented their poetry.

Speaking on the occasion, UET Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid said poetry always represented the link between environment and human emotions. “It is considered as the most convincing and persuasive tool of any language that it is known as core element of any culture,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2016