ISLAMABAD, Jan 7: The government is planning to launch a pilot project to develop video text books and libraries to provide easy accessibility to the students, especially in rural areas.
The project is being launched by the education ministry in line with its policy to revolutionize teaching of science subjects at the secondary school level through quality instruction in science education, says a press release here on Monday.
It says a pilot project under Education Sector Reforms (ESR) Programme for 2001-2004 has been developed at a cost of Rs10 million initially for a period of two years. Five episodes/lessons in four subjects, biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, will be produced for classes 9 and 10.
The official announcement states the project will be sponsored by the education ministry while Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will provide technical facilities in the production of video text programmes since it possesses with necessary equipments.
The statement says Rs5 million have already been earmarked for the project for the year 2001-2002 under the ESR Programme.
It says the preparations for developing video text books of the entire curriculum of biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics have also been initiated while the estimated cost of the project for the next three years has been estimated at Rs350 million.
The cost is likely to be reduced considerably, if the programme is undertaken in collaboration with the AIOU.
It says projects for improving the quality of teaching science subjects are prepared in the ESR while realizing deficiency of good science teachers in the education structure of Pakistan and insufficient resources for the science laboratories.
In addition to this, the teaching learning resource materials are not available to different high schools, therefore, science teachers merely depend on conventional methods of teaching science subjects, besides the recent discoveries are rarely communicated to the pupils.
It says video text books will enable the students to improve their understanding about the fundamentals of science at the secondary level. These video lesson libraries will be available to a majority of the people and to all the students of the secondary schools through the provision of television and video players.
Private students can also take advantage of these lessons through educational channels as well as by borrowing these videos from the district and tehsil level resource centres.
The government believes that these videos will not only develop interests among students in science subjects but will also encourage them to innovate and prepare practical model for demonstrating scientific concept. The educational experts and technical facilities of the private sector can also be involved in the development of these programmes.