TRC News

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on teaching historical events (in school) that show your country in a negative light, and cast your vote by the end of April 2015. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our March 2015 poll was about whether older students should be given the opportunity to evaluate their teachers:

Older students should be entitled to evaluate their teachers. They spend the most time with them and are directly impacted by their skills and abilities.

• I agree. A student’s evaluation would add a critical perspective to a teacher’s evaluation and help with improvement in teaching methods and communication with students. (78%, 36 Votes)

• I disagree. Students should not evaluate teachers. They’re likely to be biased towards teachers who give good grades and may not have the foresight to recognise an effective teacher. (22%, 10 Votes)

The majority of those who responded to this poll (78%) agree that older students should be able to evaluate their teachers. These respondents felt that since students spend so much of their time with their teachers, their evaluation will not only help the teacher improve her teaching methods, but will also enhance her communication with students.

On the other hand, only 22% of the respondents believe that students should not evaluate teachers as they lack the foresight to recognise an effective teacher and are more likely to biased towards teachers who hand out good grades easily.

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on whether older students should be allowed to evaluate their teachers, and cast your vote by the end of March 2015. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our February 2015 poll was about whether being constantly connected to technology enhances children’s creativity or reduces it:

Constantly being connected to some form of technology leads to information overload, which impedes a child’s ability to think and be creative.

• I agree. The convenience of technology has reduced our children’s ability to think independently and be creative. Children would be more creative if they were not always ‘connected’. (51%, 19 Votes)

• I disagree. Technology is a tool and to use it properly we need to apply both imagination and creativity. In the right hands technology enhances creativity. (49%, 18 Votes)

The result of this poll was split down the middle, with those who agree with the premise ‘winning’ only by a single vote. Half of the respondents believe that being connected to technology impedes children’s ability to think and be creative. They believe that children would be more creative if they weren’t always ‘connected’. The remaining respondents (49%) disagree with the premise and believe that if used properly technology actually enhances creativity.

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on the effects of being connected to technology all the time, and cast your vote by the end of February 2015. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our January 2015 poll was about whether schools should relax strict hairstyle and uniform rules:

Schools should relax strict hairstyle and uniform rules and focus on more important things such as educating children well and helping them reach their full potential.

• I agree. When schools enforce strict hairstyle and uniform rules, they create negative energy, teach children to dislike the system and waste valuable teaching and learning time. (55%, 22 Votes)

• I disagree. Dress codes are an important part of the workforce that students will be part of one day. A strict uniform policy will help them understand this. (45%, 18 Votes)

Total Voters: 40

The result of this opinion poll was neck and neck. The majority (55%) of those who responded to this poll felt that when schools enforce strict hairstyles and uniform rules, children end up disliking the system and end up wasting valuable time. These respondents feel that this generally creates negative energy in schools. On the other hand, a significant minority (45%) of respondents feel that strict uniform and hairstyle rules are a way to introduce children to dress codes which will be important once they enter the workforce.

The highlights of the quarter include continuation of our core activities as well as planning for the Annual General Meeting and finalisation and on line publishing of TRC’s 28th Annual Report. A short term project with financial support of UNICEF, was initiated with PITE, Sindh for training 400 government teachers on ECE. A partnership with The Citizens Foundation was also established; TCF purchased our PTBs for the schools they support financially and technically through their SDU. Training of teachers from these schools was also held at TRC. The 4th Karachi International Children’s Festival was held and saw atleast 5000 children and teachers coming together for viewing the 58 films which were showcased this time.

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TRC’s 28th Annual Report published.

Download Annual Report

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on strict hairstyle and uniform rules in schools, and cast your vote by the end of January 2015. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our December 2014 poll was about whether libraries are losing their relevance as a resource for information:

In a world that is fast becoming connected via the Internet, school libraries are slowly losing their relevance as a resource for information.

• I agree. Maintaining a school library is expensive, and its function is becoming obsolete in the face of search engines that can quickly locate large amounts of information. (39%, 14 Votes)

• I disagree. The Internet is not a reliable resource and libraries are more than stores for books. They are spaces for study and reflection that will adapt to modern demands. (61%, 22 Votes)

Total Voters: 36

The majority of those who responded to this poll (61%) do not think that libraries will lose their relevance in a highly connected modern world. These respondents feel that libraries will adapt to the demands of the modern world and also believe that the internet is not a reliable source of information. On the other hand 39% of the respondents believe that libraries are becoming obsolete, because people now have access to a lot of information online through search engines.

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on whether school libraries are losing their relevance, and cast your vote by the end of December 2014. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our November 2014 poll was about whether singing the national anthem is a necessary school ritual:

Singing the national anthem has been a longstanding tradition at many educational institutions and is an important part of promoting patriotism.

• I agree. Singing the national anthem is a necessary school ritual as it instills a sense of unity in a diverse society frequently at odds with itself. (61%, 49 Votes)

• I disagree. Singing the national anthem, which very few people understand, promotes unthinking loyalty. Teaching history and marking Independence Day with meaningful activities is of more consequence. (39%, 31 Votes)

Total Voters: 80

The majority of those who responded to this poll (61%) felt that the national anthem should be sung regularly in schools as it promotes patriotism. These respondents believe that singing the national anthem also promotes a sense of unity amongst students. On the other hand, a sizeable minority (39%) felt that teaching history and marking Independence Day with meaningful activities is more effective when it comes to inculcating patriotism.

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on singing the national anthem in education institutions, and cast your vote by the end of November 2014. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our October 2014 poll was about getting students to read beyond the curriculum:

Reading books for entertainment is essential for a good education and all students should be required to read more and beyond the curriculum.

• I agree. It is vital that children be made to read widely, as it helps develop young minds and counterbalances unhealthy over exposure to the electronic media. (86%, 31 Votes)

• I disagree. When we force children to read books that they have no interest in or don’t like, we put them off reading for life. (14%, 5 Votes)

Total Voters: 36

A large majority of those who responded to this poll (86%) felt that making children read beyond the curriculum is essential to their development. These respondents believe that when children read widely outside of the prescribed curriculum it helps expand their minds and also counters unhealthy exposure to the electronic media. In contrast, a mere 14% of the respondents felt that forcing children to read books that they have no interest in puts them off reading for life.

The TRC staff, well accustomed to dealing with work frenzy, diligently divided time to meet deliverables of two important initiatives that TRC is leading. The Critical Thinking Programme saw its first Policy Dialogue and meeting of the National Review Committee, two significant milestones in the project’s year long trajectory. This also meant sound beginnings of targeted advocacy for critical thinking at the ECE and primary levels through inclusion of education stakeholders from all provinces. We are very grateful for their participation and support for both TRC and the project. We also welcomed Dr. Sonal Zaveri, our international consultant to the Pathways to School Success project, on her second trip to Karachi amidst the volatile political scene. She braved the weeklong trip and also visited schools in Sehwan. We are thankful for her invaluable input for taking the project forward and strengthening what we do in schools for GRS and DRR. TRC was also represented at the 2-day regional ECE conference which was a collective forum for sharing local as well as international perspectives on ECE. We are proud to announce that our 8th batch of ECE-CP graduated this quarter. We once again congratulate all the graduates and their families for their achievement.

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Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on getting students to read beyond the curriculum, and cast your vote by the end of October 2014. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our September 2014 poll was about whether the sciences are more important than the arts:

The sciences are more important than the arts, because a strong foundation in math and science increases students’ chances of finding good jobs and also equips them with essential life skills.

• I agree. Math and science are more useful in today’s world, because we live in an era where technology rules. Also, a liberal arts education limits students’ career options. (23%, 09 Votes)

• I disagree. Science and liberal arts are equally important and both should be taught to give students a well-balanced education. In today’s world, liberal arts increase students’ career options. (77%, 30 Votes)

Total Voters: 39

The majority of those who responded to this poll (77%) felt that the sciences and the liberal arts are equally important for a balanced education. These respondents believe that when students are taught both the arts and the sciences, it opens up their career options. In contrast, only 23% of the respondents felt that math and the sciences are more important than the arts and that a liberal arts education limits students’ options.