Shibli, English, and the Step-Mother

The relationship between English (in what this term comes to mean as a language, as a discipline of studies, and as a synecdoche of Western culture) and our culture as Muslim Pakistanis has developed over a period of time since the British colonization. The history of this cultural interaction may be divided into three broad phases: the initial, the middle, and the present. The strategy adopted in this paper is based upon the argument that this relationship may be traced through some of the most representative figures of our culture, such as, Shibli, Iqbal, Faiz etc. In each phase of this interaction. The present essay on Shibli deals with the first phase of our cultural interaction with English. It adopts what may be termed as an analogical approach to the issue as it intends to engage with what I think to be rather unwarranted psychoanalytic forays of some of our critics into the psycho-dynamics of such culturally representative figures like Shibli in their relationship with English. The paper exploits the analogy first used by Sheikh Muhammad Ikram, and later employed by Nasir Abbas Nayyar that Shibli’s attitude towards English was the same as his attitude towards his step-mother at home. English, in other words, was a step-mother for Shibli, and for the generations represented through his figure in this early phase of our cultural interaction with the language. Shibli’s terms of engagement with his step-mother, and analogically with English, is the subject of this essay.

A Comparative Study of the Role of Public Higher Secondary Schools in Rural and Urban Sindh

The overall purpose of this study was to examine how rural and urban Higher Secondary School differs in their performance and what role they were playing in the education system of Sindh. The scope of the study was limited to the Public Higher Secondary Schools province of Sindh only. The population of the study consisted of Principals of Public Higher Secondary Schools in rural and urban Sindh. The final sample consisted of 70 Principals, 30 from rural and 40 from urban Public Higher Secondary Schools of Sindh. Study reviewed research information on some major aspects of Public Higher Secondary Schools in rural and urban Sindh, its role in education system including its effectiveness, discipline, performance and examination results. So the researcher had presented the background of the problem and introduced the impact of the problem on present education system. Assumptions as well as hypothesis were formulated. Education system of Pakistan and other countries were explained in the study. Education policies, in accordance with Higher Secondary Schools and rural- urban disparity in access to education in Sindh also discussed. The affects of Principals, teachers and students on the performance of higher secondary schools were also observed. Questionnaire was developed for collection of data by using pre-test and post-test method. Statistical analysis of data collected was done. All the five hypotheses were tested using frequency, percent, valid percent and cummulative percent. Findings of research were also discussed. Recommendations were prepared to highlight and enhance the role of public higher secondary schools of rural and urban Sindh, in education. It was expected that this work will help research scholars and relevant educationists for further research. The government officials may also utilize this work in overcoming the problems in Public Higher Secondary Schools and improve its performance.