English literature teaching and learning practice can transform individual understanding, appreciation, and eventual practice of moral values. Research in this area indicates the ever-present dichotomy of how reading literary texts for moral learning should ensue, through William Bennett's teacher-centred, transmission approach, or through a more transactional approach between reader and text, as elaborated in Louise Rosenblatt's Reader Response Theory. Dr Darcia Narvaez builds upon Rosenblatt's theory, considering it a more active approach to MTC that can foster practical moral learning practices, which do not work through top-down transmission but rather ensue from the students themselves, regardless of their individual reading ability. An exploratory, qualitative study to discover how Grade Six students read, interacted and identified with the literary texts taught in class was conducted, using the methods of semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, document and textbook analyses, and classroom observations, and the collected data were carefully analyzed through pattern forming, identifying themes, developing major categories and planning each category under a code to generate explicit findings. Findings that emerged were that Grade Six students are aware of their moral selves and basic moral values, equating morality with a system of rewards and punishments, or a system of right and wrong actions. The major finding is that students willingly identify with the moral messages inside literary texts when it is presented through a personal approach, rather than through a didactic text. The intention of this research is to inform interested stakeholders such as curriculum planners, English Literature teachers, and the general teaching body, parents, and, most essentially, all the readers of Literature, be it in any language or from any culture, of the integral moral message that literature hopes to convey, so that through active reading, discussion and interaction with the literary text, we can all enhance our moral attitudes and practices, to lead our lives successfully and safely into this new century and A consequently through our living and learning, pass forward a rich legacy to future readers of literature, to carry forward the torch of moral enlightenment into the next century.
It is generally perceived that Madrassah produce extremism which possesses a threat to the peace and security of the state and to the world as well. Government along with local and International community wants to eradicate extremism and terrorism through reforming Madrassah education. The purpose of current study is to answer the question “why attempts of Madrassah reforms were unfruitful”? By focusing on it, study is divided into three phase such as to find out; different narrative on Madrassah reform, potential barriers in the way of reform and skepticisms associated with reformist policy. The main objective of current study is to understand the problems regarding Madrassah reform through realistic approach by addressing main question what are the challenges in developing alternative narrative on Madrassah reforms and its implications? The main investigation has three driving questions that what Madrassah reform means in point of view of different actors? What are main obstacles in the process of reform? And what are skepticisms about reform? In this qualitative study stakeholder interviews have been conducted. Results of the study indicates that Government narrative with regards to Madrassah education reform is to bring them into mainstream whereas religious community think that there are hidden agendas behind the modernization of Madrassahs. They viewed Madrassahs reforms to dilute the attention of religious sector from religious education to western education. Similarly, it viewed that changes in curricula, financial control, regulatory change, and vested interest are the main hurdles in the way of reform.
As regional integration across the globe has proliferated, therefore, the developing countries have made it a leading policy objective to move in parallel and find access to the global market through the instrument of trade liberalization. This strategy has led to the establishment of various bilateral and regional free trade zones across the world. Pakistan is also a member of various bilateral and regional trade organizations. However, Pakistan’s achievements are negligible. To enhance its trade performance, Pakistan is anxious of negotiating additional free trade agreements (FTAs) with the trade partner economies. In addition, the recently proliferated large regional agreements in the Asia-Pacific and Europe such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have outsiders to these agreements. They are anxious about the implications of these agreements for their own economies and trading relations. Presently, Pakistan is neither the member of TPP nor RCEP; however, desirous to join the two partnerships. In the above-mentioned background, this study aims to undertake an assessment of Pakistan’s position in the free trade agreements. The study also aims to examine the implications of TPP and RCEP for Pakistan and to identify alternative strategies for Pakistan to follow in case the consequences of the said agreements on its economy are negative. This research examines different possible scenarios (simulations) by using the global CGE model framework (MyGTAP). The first one tests the implications of trade liberalization in the context of Pakistan’s existing bilateral FTAs with its trading partners-China, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The second scenario tests the implications of Pakistan’s potential FTAs with Turkey, Thailand and Korea on its economy. In addition to the primary focus on Pakistan’s FTAs, further simulations are carried out to project the implications of RCEP for the economy of Pakistan. The first one tests the implications of trade liberalization for the existing members of RCEP. The second scenario investigates the impact of Pakistan’s proposed membership of RCEP on the economy of Pakistan. Next is the focus on TPP. The first scenario projects the implications for Pakistan with usual implementation of TPP regulations. The second one investigates the implications of Pakistan’s proposed joining the TPP. The third scenario tries to see the implications of the proposed US’ rejoining of the TPP. Likewise, additional projections are obtained to see the impacts of the European Generalized System of Preferences arrangements such as GSP+ and ‘Everything But Arms’ (EBA) status on the economy of Pakistan.The results of simulations intimate that the overall impact of RCEP and TPP on the economy of Pakistan (as outsider) is negative. However, in case Pakistan succeeds to join the said trade agreements, there will be an overall gain for Pakistan. The impact on the other RCEP and TPP member economies’ GDP and trade is positive with a slightly larger increase in real GDP and trade when Pakistan is included in RCEP and TPP. It is also found that there are overall positive gains for Pakistan from the existing FTAs with China and Malaysia. As such, Pakistan should acquire additional market access from the partners. The results also indicate an overall beneficiary position of Pakistan in the FTA with Thailand. The impact on the GDP and trade volume of the partners is also positive indicating that the agreement leads to win-win position. It is found that the impact of European GSP+ and EBA status on the economy of Pakistan is positive and considerable if Pakistan overcomes the domestic productive limitations.