CULTURAL RELEVANCE IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF CONTEMPORARY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

In the context of secondary education, globalization has impacted curriculum policies, methodologies, and student learning outcomes. The research study aims to explore the impact of globalization on curriculum development in secondary schools in Pakistan, especially in the context of cultural appropriateness. The research study employed a qualitative descriptive research design and analyzed around two dozen national and international research studies from around the world, conducted between 1995 and 2024.

The research study found that the curriculum in secondary schools in Pakistan is increasingly incorporating Western methodologies and the English medium in line with global standards to make students globally competitive. However, in the process, students are becoming less familiar with local culture, regional languages, and values. The research study also found that there is a lack of culturally relevant methodologies in secondary schools in Pakistan, as suggested by Gloria Ladson-Billings in her study in 1995, because teachers are not being trained accordingly.

So, the research study found that a balanced curriculum is needed in secondary schools in Pakistan that can make students globally competitive without compromising their local culture and values.