Those Peculiarly Beautiful People

 

If you ever fall in love with someone who has faced pain and the loss of love, someone who looks at things in a manner that might not seem normal or very common, someone who is in love with words and stories, someone who is quiet when in pain and in tears, when in anger, someone who has lost a dear one, someone who is just not the regular happy soul. You need to realise that it is going to be really hard for you to stay with them. Hard, yes, but beautiful too.

These people will want more of everything. More love, more attention, more time, more care and more patience. At times the constant need for attention and care will get on your nerves, but at that moment, remember to think about all that they have done for you even when you never asked for it. They demand more in life, not just from you, but from life too. But in return, they will leave no stone unturned to return the same emotions on a much larger scale.

They are not going to be super confident people with exceptional love for self. They need a bit of push every now and then. They need a dose of motivation on a regular basis. They need to be reminded of their worth. They need to be told about how amazing they are. They tend to compare themselves to the world and then move back to their cocoon thinking low about themselves.

They are loners. They are emotional wrecks too. They will demand a lot of silence and a lot of empty space. That's how they rejuvenate themselves. They like being at their own company. No, they don't get bored. More than often, they are lost in their own thoughts, making up scenarios that do not exist but they wish it did. They are this wild ball of fun in their own heads. They will also explode now and then. Explode into tears, into rudeness, into unwanted sadness, into a weird kind of arrogance. But that is because of the immense amount of overthinking that their brain has been doing. All those overthinking makes them overreact to even the tiniest bit. In those times, do not shout at them. They are already cursing themselves for acting in that manner with you. Just be there, be present to their situation and listen to what they have to say and show them that no matter how many mood swings they have, you are going to be a patient listener to them. That works like magic.

You are a World

You think you are an individual

But for others

You are solace

You are hope

You are impetus

You are a true inspiration

You think you are only a person

But for some

You are the only genuine friend they have

You are the true depiction of love for them

You are the desired partner

You are their faithful companion

You think you are a purposeless human being

But for someone

You are the only one they look up to

You are their path to betterment

You are their helping hand

You are their game-changer

You think you are only an entity

But you are the emotions you carry

You are a deep ocean of unfathomable feelings

You are the main character

You are the reflection of your contemplations

You are a whole World you carry within!

Alternative Learning Pathways (ALPs) for Out-of-School Children (OOSC) in Pakistan

Statistics of Out-of-School Children in World: About 258 million children and youth are out of school, according to UIS data for the school year ending in 2018. The total includes 59 million children of primary school age, 62 million of lower secondary school age and 138 million of upper secondary age.

Statistics of Out-of-School Children in Pakistan: An estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 are out-of-school.’ Currently, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC) with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school, representing 44 per cent of the total population in this age group. Disparities based on gender, socio-economic status, and geography are significant; in Sindh, 52 percent of the poorest children (58 percent girls) are out of school, and in Baluchistan, 78 percent of girls are out of school. Nearly 10.7 million boys and 8.6 million girls are enrolled at the primary level and this drops to 3.6 million boys and 2.8 million girls at the lower secondary level.

Whom do we call In-School and Out-of-School Children?

Children of primary school age are counted as being in school when they are participating either in primary or secondary education. But primary school-age children in pre-primary education are counted as out of school because pre-primary education cannot always be considered as appropriate for children of primary school age. Furthermore, Primary school-age children who were attending levels of education other than primary were counted as out of school. In addition to that, Primary school-age children who attend either primary or secondary education are considered to be in school. Those in non-formal education are typically counted as out-of-school, except when it is recognized as fully equivalent to formal primary education.

Categorization of OOSC Based on School Exposure

The OOSC is further categorized into three mutually exclusive sub-groups based on school exposure. These three mutually exclusive categories are:

·         Those who attended school in the past and dropped out (drop-outs);

·         Those who never attended school but will enter in future (late entrants);

·         Those who will never attend school.

Traditional Pathways vs. Alternative Pathways: The notion of ‘alternative pathways’ implies that there are ‘traditional pathways’ from which they differ.

•      Traditional Pathways: A ‘traditional pathway’ usually refers to study at an official or formal educational institution (public or private), with students steadily climbing the education ladder from pre-school to primary to secondary, and potentially beyond. A traditional pathway represents a linear progression through the education system.

•      Alternative Learning Pathways: Alternative Learning Pathway Program (ALP) is an umbrella term, which includes an assortment of different Non-formal Education designs. Their one bringing together element is that they are substitutes to formal education, that contacts kids in the 5-16 year seniority gather who for various reasons have not been conceded into, or who have subsequently dropped out of the formal education framework, and offer them with another opportunity of education (UNICEF, 2010).

In the most general sense, alternative or non-traditional pathways represent non-linear approaches through the education and training system. The term ‘non-traditional’ or ‘non-formal is also related to ‘Alternative Learning Pathways’.  Alternative Learning Pathways emphasizes that there are simply alternatives to the mainstream education programs and institutions.

Alternative Learning Pathways for Out-of-School Children and Adults: The below list contains examples of some Alternative Learning Pathways:

·         Second chance education programs: programs that offer school completion for youth and adults who have not completed schooling. These are usually targeted at youths or adults who have dropped out or have been pushed out of school, and who wish to acquire a formal qualification. They are usually offered out of hours, sometimes in school premises, and usually follow a version of the official curriculum providing either access back into the formal system, or a formal qualification.

·         Accelerated learning: ‘An approach to learning that compresses the time taken to teach and learn the basics of a certain curriculum using learner-centred teaching principles and practices.’ (Source: USAID 2005, Accelerating Learning For Children In Developing Countries: Joining Research and Practice)

Accelerated learning in developing countries usually refers to programs run for learners who have missed out on a period of schooling. It provides learners with an intense program that enables them to catch up to their appropriate age level, and often to then re-enter the formal system. It is often provided in separate institutions but may be offered in schools during or after hours. It usually involves a ‘compressed’ curriculum, but generally requires enhanced learning strategies to enable students to cover the ground in a shorter period. It usually leads to a formal qualification or re-entry into the formal system.

·         Open and distance learning: ‘A way of studying that allows people to learn where and when they want, and to receive and send written work by mail or email’. (Source: Cambridge Dictionary)

Distance learning (also known as correspondence education) is usually undertaken in students’ homes outside of formal institutions, although sometimes there are organised ‘study groups’ or tutorial sessions offered by schools (or entrepreneurs) to support students. Distance learning has made great strides through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) which permits easier and faster interaction between tutor and learner. ‘Open’ sometimes implies that there are no minimum entry requirements for an educational program. Many programs have a mix of distance and institution-based learning, and are known as ‘mixed mode’.

·         Adult non-formal education: a wide range of education and training programs offered to adults. Adult non-formal education may be undertaken as evening, short term or full-time courses that focus on life skills or technical or vocationally relevant skills, or simply satisfy personal interests and pastimes. Commonly offered in adult education centres or schools after hours, but also in a wide range of institutions, and may or may not lead to formal qualifications or certification.

·         Apprenticeship: ‘Method in which trainees learn a craft or trade by hands-on experience while working with a skilled worker, usually under a written agreement’. (Source: Business Dictionary)

 

·         Adult Basic Education (and Training) ABE(T): a form of catch-up education for adults, which usually follows the formal curriculum and leads to basic education qualification.

Adult Basic Education (and Training) may be taught full-time or (more commonly) part-time or in the evening classes, often by school teachers using school classrooms or community facilities. Instruction may be more or less formal in nature, and usually follows the formal basic education curriculum and leads to a qualification that is the same as, or equivalent to, the formal qualification for basic education.

 

A Detailed Look on Official NFBE/ALPs for Out-of-School Children in Pakistan

In Pakistan, there are approximately 28,000 NFBE centers catering to approximately 1 million students across the country. NFBE sector caters largely to female students with 60% of the student population being female. The majority of students are within the normal age range for primary with only 12% of students over-age. This is not surprising that roughly half the students complete the program cycle equivalent to grade 5.

Supporting Organizations for ALP Programs: There are four types of organizations running NFBE programs: those supported by the Federal Government (NCHD and BECS), provincial government (L&NFBED), provincial foundations (BEF, EEF and NEF) and those run by the NGOs. The per-child cost per month ranges from approximately PKR 200 to PKR 500. This indicates that NFBE is a cost-effective alternative.

Parents’ Views about ALP Programs: Many parents are satisfied with NFBE and would like their children to continue with their education after completing primary, preferably at a government school. In terms of parents’ reasons for choosing NFBE centers, the majority of parents note proximity and flexibility as key reasons. Affordability is also an important factor as is the perceived quality of center as the teacher is seen as hardworking and accessible. The communities note a great change in their attitudes towards education over the years, especially for girls. Amongst their children, they notice positive changes particularly in their behavior and practical skills such as being able to read a prescription or signboards.

Location of ALP Centers: The typical center is located inside the community (84%), usually opened in a teacher's home. The centers are not necessarily opened in areas where no schools exist (69% had schools within 2 km) as identified by program goals.

Facilities and Materials for ALP Programs: In most cases, the building is provided by the community. The vast majority of the programs offer education free of cost to the students (88%). About 88% of community committees are active, and about half are involved in providing funds or in-kind contributions and voluntary labor, while the rest support in ensuring student enrollment or attendance.

Working Features of ALP Programs: By and large most programs follow the government curricula. The majority of programs are often not accelerated, the average duration of NFBE programs is 5 years, which is the same as the formal primary cycle duration. 96% of programs operate on a morning shift. This contradicts the assumption that NFBE centers are often providing accelerated learning and catering to a working population. They do however maintain flexibility in terms of timings and admissions, which is a typical feature of NFBE. A rough estimation of instructional time shows that it is approximately 1,200 hours per year in the NFBE sector as compared to approximately 1,000 hours or less in the public sector.

ALP Program Teachers’ Profile: The majority of centers operate on a multi-grade basis, running with a single teacher. The average student-teacher ratio is 1:40, which is within a manageable range. Teacher salary ranges between PKR 5,000 to 6,000, which is comparable to low-cost private sector teacher salaries but lower, of course than public sector teacher salaries. Program support also appears to be mixed. Programs often provide support to teachers in terms of planning (67% receive such support). They also provide professional development with more organizations providing induction training (74% of cases) as compared to ongoing training (50% of cases). Generally, teachers are satisfied with the training received but would like more training. A little more than half receive in-classroom support usually on a monthly basis. The majority of programs monitor the centers with a focus on teacher and student attendance.

NFBE teachers are mostly female and young but somewhat older than their counterparts in the low-cost private sector, with an the average age of 29 and also two-thirds of the teachers are married.

By and large, the teachers are from the same community, which is likely to be helpful in attracting students to the center, as parents are often comfortable sending their children, particularly daughters, to someone they know. And for creating an in-built accountability mechanism as teachers probably have a greater sense of responsibility towards children from their community and fewer reservations responding to queries from parents about their progress.

Most of the teachers have a Bachelor degree or an Intermediate certificate and about half have professional teaching certification as well. Teachers often note the high status of the teaching profession in the local context as their reason for choosing to teach at these NFBE centers.  Their reasons for satisfaction are usually proximity of the centers, flexibility of timings and ease of obtaining leave. Reasons for dissatisfaction are usually the salary amount, lack of qualification-based salary and delays in receiving it.

Teaching and Learning Practices in ALP Programs: With regard to teaching and learning practices, the data shows that the vast majority of teachers plan their lessons. Where case studies were conducted, classroom observation data shows that teachers work in a sequential manner in multi-grade situations, teaching one class at a time and often assigning a monitor to manage the classes not being taught. With regards to disciplining practices, 68% of teachers note using corporal punishment but only 40% agree it is actually useful for disciplining students.

Lecturing appears to be the most popular method followed by whole group recitation. In terms of assessment three-quarters of the teachers use both oral and written assessments. About three-quarters of teachers respond that oral and written assessments are conducted by other program staff and this data is used mostly to improve teaching methods and promote students. Certificates are awarded on successful completion of a grade level in about three-quarters of the cases. The language primarily used in the classroom is Urdu (64%) followed by regional languages (36%). However, as expected the language used to explain difficult concepts and by way of conversation among students is predominantly the regional language.

Family Background of the Children studying at ALP Centers:  The majority of parents are not educated, with only about a third of fathers and fewer mothers completing primary or elementary education.  76% of other children in the household are enrolled in some sort of educational institution and many are in NFBE centers as well. This, again, indicates a trend towards education in these families.

Going by survey findings, the majority of households in the relevant localities are single-member earning, with fewer mothers earning an income (only about 20%). The majority of fathers have an income of between PKR 5,000 to 10,000 (42%) followed by an income level of PKR 10,000 to 15,000 (23%). It is clear from this data that many families earning close to or below minimum wage. Usually, mothers are responsible for maintaining contact with the teachers.

UNICEF led ALPs for Out-of-School Children in Baluchistan: In order to bring out of school children back into the classrooms, the Baluchistan Education Sector Plan (BESP, 2013-2018) has suggested alternate learning pathway program. UNICEF is funding and providing financial and technical support for this program under the umbrella of the education department. This program will enroll dropped out or left out children, prepare them in three levels and stream them into regular schools.

202 Alternative Learning Pathway (ALPs) Centers were started in seven districts (i.e. Quetta, Zhobe, Sherani, Musakhail, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad and Lessbela). The children of these seven districts were enrolled in grade 1 of two semester’s program. A textbook was printed for grade 1 of two semesters. This textbook was developed from the condensed curriculum of grade I and II of regular schools. The curriculum experts of Directorate of Education, Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Center Baluchistan framed a condensed curriculum of all subjects i.e. English, Urdu, Mathematics, General Science, Social Studies, General Knowledge and Islamic studies for the three grades of the program by condensing five years program into three academic years. Overall results of ALP centers and student’s performance was satisfactory; teachers were very hardworking and committed to their duties.

The provincial government has decided to finance 160 Alternative Learning Pathway (ALP) centers to provide quality alternative education to over 8,000 children and adolescents across Baluchistan. These centers will be established within three years by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), under the leadership of the Department of Secondary Education, Government of Baluchistan. (Source: The Express Tribune, March 19, 2018).

UNICEF led ALPs for Out-of-School Children in Sindh

Social Cohesion & Resilience (SCR) Program in Sindh: In Sindh, project titled ‘Promote Social Cohesion through Education’ was implemented in collaboration with the UNICEF. The project started in July 2013 and concluded in July 2014 and was implemented in the urban slum areas of Karachi, Badin, and Jacobabad in Sindh. The objective of the project was to promote and strengthen social cohesion and resilience through education in vulnerable and conflict-prone areas of Sindh.  The key interventions of the project were to mobilize and engage communities by establishing and strengthening community-­based support mechanisms for effective conflict resolution, improving access to quality education at Government Primary Girls’ and Boys’ Schools, teaching marginalized children in remote areas through community schools and providing access to education to out-of-school children between the ages of 9-­17 years.

ALPs for Out-of-School Children in KPK:  The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Sector Programme (KSEP) and Technical Assistance (TA) team’s mission is to work at provincial, sub-provincial and school levels to provide comprehensive, flexible and high-quality technical support to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (GoKP). Keeping this mission in priority, the government of KPK launched the Accelerated Learning Programs for the out of school children under the supervision of Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) is one of the preferable options, which will contribute towards achieving a targeted additional enrollment of approximately 78,000 out-of-school children by Financial Year (FY) 2020-21. Additionally, ALP is comprised of two modalities, primary level ALP and middle-level ALP. Primary level ALP targets Out-of-School Children between the ages of 8-10 who have never been to school for 69,812 children. Middle-level ALP targets Out-of-School Children between the ages of 13-14 who have completed primary graduation and their total number are 8577. ALP will be delivered as a form of complementary education, reaching the same endpoints as a formal education system, but in a shorter space of time. The ALP is complementary in that it both provides an alternative route and matches the official curriculum. This allows ALP learners to either be mainstreamed into the regular education system or join professional/vocational courses.

ALPs for Out-of-School Children in Punjab: Punjab Foundation of Education is taking practical steps to bring the children into the schools. One of the steps is that Punjab has recently introduced the ALPs in the provincial curriculum for the Out-of-School Children. Such ALPs will be implemented with the help of technology, such as Distance Learning Programs (DLP), broadcasting the Education through television (TV) and providing the laptops under Punjab Foundation of Education, like, Youth Punjab Laptop. Such ALPs will make the Out-of-School Children literate, educated, and also develop the numerical skills of children.

References

·         http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/JEE/PDF/5_v29_2_19.pdf

·         https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/education

·         https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/media/1731/file/Every%20Child%20Learns.pdf

http://aserpakistan.org/document/aser_policy_briefs/2011/Out_of_School_Children_in_Sindh_Looking_at_Access_and_Equity.pdf

روايتي خيالن جي خلاف آواز؛ ترقي جي راھ طرف ھڪ قدم

 ھن جھالت سٽيل سماج ۾ جتي ھر ھڪ انسان دھشتگردي جي ڌوڙ،  ڪرپشن جي ڪن، مھانگائي جي مينھوڳي، ۽ ساڙ، حسد، ظلم، ڏاڍ، ڏک، ۽ دردن جي درياء ۾ ٻڏ تر جي ڪشمڪش جو شڪار آھي، اتي پنهنجي حق جي حصول ۽ صحيع ڳالھ جي لاء آواز اٿائي وڃي ته ان کي دٻائڻ جي لاء ننھن چوٽي جو زور لڳايو وڃي ٿو۔ ڪڏهن ان انسان کي ڊيڄاريو ۽ ڌمڪايو وڃي ٿو ته ڪڏهن ان کي رشوت جي لالچ سان نوازيو وڃي ٿو ۽ ھر حال ۾ ان جي پر اميد خيالن کي نااميدي ۽  مايوسي جي دلدل ۾ ڌڪارڻ جي ڀرپور ڪوشش ڪئي وڃي ٿي۔ اھڙن ئي رڪاوٽن جي ڪنڊن سان سجيل واٽ تي ھلي ڪري ئي ھڪ انسان جي اندر ھمت، جرئت، بھادري، ۽ دليري جا جوھر، ۽ ثابت قدمي ۽ مستقل مزاجي جون خصلتون جنم وٺنديون آهن۔ پو۽ ھڪ انسان رڪاوٽن جا ڏونگر ڏاري، مصيبتن جا سمنڊ پار ڪري، مشڪلاتن جي جبل جو سينو چيري، صبر ۽ استقامت جي راھ وٺي پنهنجي  مقصد کي حاصل ڪرڻ جي جاکوڙ ۾ ڏينهن رات ھڪ ڪري ڇڏيندو آھي۔ پو۽ ان جي لاء وقت ۽ فاصلو ڪا به اھميت نٿا رکن ۽ ان جي خيالن جو  محور بس ھڪ ئي شئي ھوندي آهي ۽ اھو آهي ان جو "مقصد"۔ ھو روايتي خيالن جا سمورا بي جان بت توڙي ايترو ته اڳتي وڌي چڪو ھوندو آهي، جو ان جي لا۽ ماڻهن جا بوسيدہ ويچار ۽ نڪتا چيني وارو مزاج بي معني ٿي وڃي ٿو۔ ته پو۽ ڇا ٿو ٿئي؟ ڇا ھو پنهنجي منزل ماڻڻ م ڪامياب ٿئي ٿو يا وري انھن مصيبتن جي ورچڙھي پنهنجو پاڻ ھميشہ لا۽ وڃائي ڇڏي ٿو؟

جيڪڏهن اسين تاريخ جي سنھري ورقن تي نظر ڊوڙايون ته  اسان کي معلوم ٿيندو ته اھڙن عظيم ماڻهن جي محنت ۽ جاکوڙ ڪڏهن به رائيگان نه ويندي آهي ـ فتح ۽ ڪاميابي جا خوبصورت گل ھر راھ تي انهن عظيم شخصيتن جي آڌرڀاء لا۽ موجود ھوندا آهن ـ ڪجهه  آئنسٽائن، نيوٽن ۽ ڊارون وانگر دنيا کي پنهنجي شاندار تخليقن سان آراستا ڪن ٿا ته ڪي وري شيڪسپيئر، ڊڪنس ۽ جاھن ڪيٽس وانگر زندگي جي دردناڪ توڙي رنگين منظرن کي لفظن جي موتين جي شڪل ڏئي ھڪ لڙي ۾ پوئن ٿا ته ڪي وري استاد بخاري، شيخ اياز، جمال ابڙو ۽ امر جليل وانگر زندگي جي اڻ کٽ ڏاڍ، جبر، ۽ وحشتن جي اڪاسي ڪن ٿا ۽ ڪي وري ٻئي پاسي سقراط وانگر پنهنجي لياقت، قابليت ۽ فلسفاڻي خيالن جي مڃتا پنهنجي زندگي ۾ حاصل نه ڪري سگھندا آھن ـ چوڻ جو مقصد اھو آھي ته انسان جي مشقت ڪڏهن به ضايع نه ٿيندي آهي، بلڪہ اھا نا اميدي جي اونداهي ۾ اميد ۽ آس جو ڏيئو بڻجي ڪري جلندي آهي،  ھڪ اھڙو ڏيئو جنهن جي روشني ست آسمان پار ڪري به پنهنجي اصل چمڪ برقرار رکندي آهي۔  ڇو ته اھو ڏيئو بھادر ۽ دلير شخص جي رت ۽ پگهر  کي ٻارڻ بڻائي ٻرندو آهي ۽ اھا روشني ڪيترين ئي ايندڙ نسلن کي جھالت جي ڪارنھن مان آزادي ڏياري ۽ روشن خيالي جي ھڪ نئي جھان ڏانهن روشناس ڪرائي  ٿي ـ

Review on Auraq Publications

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Yeah, it always seemed impossible to give words to my scattered thoughts, to write my reflections in a way I wanted, and to publish the book by my own name. But Allah gave Me courage to keep working. And then, He gave me support to complete my work and sent a Source in my life to publish my book, that is “Auraq Publications”. It was the start of 2020, when I saw the page of Auraq while scrolling over Facebook. I entered into the page to know more. I got impressed by the way they published the work of novice writers and promoted them. Then and there, I decided to get my book published through Auraq Publications. I worked 6 months more on my book and then, I approached “Auraq Publications” for getting my book published. They reviewed my work and approved it for further proceedings. I got my book formatted by them. Overall, it took around 3 months for getting my book in my hands. It was really a great experience to work with Auraq because it was very easy going. I would recommend Auraq Publications to all the writers who want to publish their work due to following reasons:

• Proper Guidance: If you don’t know about the publication process, Auraq helps you in that matter. They go through an organized sequence of publishing book, where they guide you in each step. For example, they review you work, they get their contract signed, they guide you and extend their services for the formatting of book and developing proper book cover and much more.
• Publication in Shorter Period of Time: When you send your books to traditional publishers, they take months and years to give you reply. This is not the case with Auraq. They publish your book in a very shorter period of time.
• Up to the mark services: Auraq provides several services like, proofreading, editing, formatting, book cover designing and much more. And believe me their services are up to the mark, specially their printing quality is really amazing. You can get services in a way that you want.
• Different Publishing Models: Auraq offers different publishing models, like, Print on Demand and Bulk Printing. You can choose the one that you like.
• Cost-Effective publication: Auraq’s pricing model is also flexible and cost-effective. They give you discounts also, if you need.
• Marketing Services: Auraq markets your book on different social media platforms. It also markets your book with online and offline booksellers, including distribution in all major cities of Pakisan. They also help you sell your books on platforms, like, Amazon.

So, go ahead and let your voice heard!

 The Role of Women in Modern World

In past, there were times when women were just house keepers. They were confined to the four walls of the kitchen and occupied in rearing children. Men became the bread earners. The roles of men and women were, thus, seperated. But, with the passage of time, the scenario has changed. Now women of all over the world are being educated in every field that men, so far, dominated. Kwoledge of arts, science, technology, and politics is no longer the privilege of man alone. Now most of the schools, colleges, and institutions are conscious of availing education to boys as well as girls because the importance of following words have been immensely realized:

"You educate a man; you educate one person, you educate a woman; you educate the whole family."

Today's woman is playing vital role in modern world. On the one hand, she is educated and bringing up her children in a well manner, through which she is playing a great role in making her child a civilized citizen. On the other hand, she proved herself as an energetic leader, a puissant social reformer, and an efficient worker. Her physical weakness is no longer a barrier in getting herself established in modern world. She has proved herself a great leader in modern world. As Nancy Pelosi quoted, "Women are leaders everywhere. You can see from the CEO who runs the fortune of the company to the household, our country is built by strong women."

Hence, the importance of role of women in our society can never be denied. If we open the golden pages of history, we have many great women, who played their prominent role to shape the world into a better place. One of them is Charie Blair; the founder of foundation for women. By helping the needy and helpless women, she is plaing a significant role to improve the poverty level. Not only this, but the names of Mother Teresa, Kalpana Chawla, Sharmeen Ubaid Chennai, and Benazir Bhutto are also included in the names of women who struggled to bring about change from local to global level. 

If we see today's situation of western countries like, China, America, and France, they are developing by leaps and bounds. Why? Because their women are allowed and given opportunities to grow in order to contribute to the welfare of the country. It is a fact that is also said by Charles Malik, "The fastest way to change the society is to mobilize the women of the world".

So, we can conclude that women play a significant role in the modern world from very basic to complex level. The role of women is vital to touch the heights of success, to civilize the society, to bring about the change and to make this world a better place to live.

Science and Culture

Activity to Enculturate Students to Scientific Culture

Activity Name: Bio Role Play                          

Grade: VI-X

Time: 120 minutes

Activity Description

Scientific way of thinking, investigation, and knowledge production is one of the prominent aspects of Scientific Culture. To enculturate students to scientific way of thinking, students will be involved in a Bio Role Play based on “Scientific Method”. In this activity, students will be divided into the groups of 5 students. Students will be first made aware of the scientific method. Teacher will give a detailed introduction of the scientific method. Then, teacher will ask students to think of the scenario and make a role play on that, in which they will have to go through the scientific process in order to develop the new scientific knowledge. In that scientific investigation, they will have a subject(topic) for investigation in which they must have to go through the steps of scientific method. They will have to make a role play of 5-8 minutes in which each student have a role to play. When students work on the role play, teacher will monitor students' work. She will guide them to the right track, assist them when they need, also give them feedback on their ideas to work in the right direction. When they will finish working on their role play, they will have to present it in front of the whole class. Teacher and other students can ask questions, provide feedback, give comments, and suggest something for improvement.

Purpose of the Activity

The purpose of this activity is to involve students in the scientific thinking-an important aspect of scientific culture. Students will also experience the way scientists work through a systematic way to produce the new knowledge. They will also identify honesty, integrity, objectivity, adherence to ethical guidelines, data collection, logic, evidence, and evaluation as the core aspects of the scientific investigation and scientific knowledge production. 

Time for each Activity

Topic Introduction by Teacher: 15 minutes

Time for Preparing the Role Play: 40 minutes

Time for each Group’s Role Play Presentation: 5-8 minutes (40 minutes for 5 groups)

Time for questions answers/feedback/comments/suggestions: 3 minutes(for each group)

Note: Time for each activity can vary in accordance with the teacher presentation time, nature of the topic, time allowed for role play, number of students, and level of students.