Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts
Historically, education has largely been used for political gains and to strengthen positions of power. Similarly, ruling elites in Pakistan achieve their political interests by using education as a tool. This study problematised the religious content in the secondary school science textbooks of the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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AOSIS
2023-01-01
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| Series: | HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8151 |
| _version_ | 1797937200215621632 |
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| author | Qasim Jan Shakir Ullah Baha Ul Haq Yi Xie |
| author_facet | Qasim Jan Shakir Ullah Baha Ul Haq Yi Xie |
| author_sort | Qasim Jan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Historically, education has largely been used for political gains and to strengthen positions of power. Similarly, ruling elites in Pakistan achieve their political interests by using education as a tool. This study problematised the religious content in the secondary school science textbooks of the national curriculum. This was illustrated in the context of the post-conflict scenario of 11 September 2001 (9/11) in the newly merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A thematic analysis of the content of the science textbooks (physics and biology) was used to develop the findings of this study. This was supported by field data gathered from students’ experiences and interactions with the sample textbooks. By incorporating Foucault’s concept of the ‘regime of truth’ and Talbani’s conceptualisation of Islamisation, the study found the use of the Qur’anic verses in the sampled textbooks to be influential ‘technologies of power and self’ to Islamise science and scientify Islam to prove it as a scientific religion. In addition, it makes education increasingly irrelevant to changing socio-economic realities and aspirations among students.
Contribution: The study can contribute both to theory and practice. By Islamising science education and instilling obscurantism in textbooks for schools, there is a substantial sociopolitical impact, as well as a negative impact on students’ critical thinking skills. The policymakers and actors in the Pakistani education system should therefore pay close attention to this issue. Unless the current educational system is changed, a number of generations will experience stunted growth that will be nearly impossible to reverse in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:42:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a35966603f1149b7aab3e1922af01e4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0259-9422 2072-8050 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:42:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-a35966603f1149b7aab3e1922af01e4d2023-02-01T13:03:12ZafrAOSISHTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies0259-94222072-80502023-01-01791e1e910.4102/hts.v79i1.81515583Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districtsQasim Jan0Shakir Ullah1Baha Ul Haq2Yi Xie3School of Education, Guangzhou University, GuangzhouCenter for Social Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, ShenzhenDepartment of Anthropology, Quaid-e-Azam University, IslamabadSchool of Education, Guangzhou University, GuangzhouHistorically, education has largely been used for political gains and to strengthen positions of power. Similarly, ruling elites in Pakistan achieve their political interests by using education as a tool. This study problematised the religious content in the secondary school science textbooks of the national curriculum. This was illustrated in the context of the post-conflict scenario of 11 September 2001 (9/11) in the newly merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A thematic analysis of the content of the science textbooks (physics and biology) was used to develop the findings of this study. This was supported by field data gathered from students’ experiences and interactions with the sample textbooks. By incorporating Foucault’s concept of the ‘regime of truth’ and Talbani’s conceptualisation of Islamisation, the study found the use of the Qur’anic verses in the sampled textbooks to be influential ‘technologies of power and self’ to Islamise science and scientify Islam to prove it as a scientific religion. In addition, it makes education increasingly irrelevant to changing socio-economic realities and aspirations among students. Contribution: The study can contribute both to theory and practice. By Islamising science education and instilling obscurantism in textbooks for schools, there is a substantial sociopolitical impact, as well as a negative impact on students’ critical thinking skills. The policymakers and actors in the Pakistani education system should therefore pay close attention to this issue. Unless the current educational system is changed, a number of generations will experience stunted growth that will be nearly impossible to reverse in the future.https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8151science textbookspoliticsreligionpakistan9/11 |
| spellingShingle | Qasim Jan Shakir Ullah Baha Ul Haq Yi Xie Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies science textbooks politics religion pakistan 9/11 |
| title | Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts |
| title_full | Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts |
| title_fullStr | Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts |
| title_short | Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts |
| title_sort | religion politics and science education in pakistan analysis of islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts |
| topic | science textbooks politics religion pakistan 9/11 |
| url | https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8151 |
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