POWER REPRESENTATION IN EDUCATIONAL LANGUAGE POLICY AND PLANNING OF URDU: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The chief purpose of this study is to evaluate the policy planning (planning and implementation) and representation of power in the Urdu text. This is a multi-layered (Ricento&Hornberger, 1996) research under the application of mixed method analysis to evaluate the policy document ‘National Education Policy (NEP) 2017’, by applying proposed checklist on the basis of Haddad and Demsky’s (1995) framework for policy making and planning at macro-level; the curriculum framework document ‘National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2017’ analysis by using Stabback’s (2007) framework based- proposed checklist at meso-level to evaluate implementation of the NEP in curriculum; finally, investigating the representation of power in the content ‘Srmaya Urdu,2018 textbook of Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) Syllabus’, at the textual level of Fairclough’s (2009) three dimensional model (3D) through modality (Deontic and Epistemic)- for which, list of modal auxiliaries have been translated into Urdu. Therefore, the current study has critically investigated: how educational Language Policy in Pakistan is designed, implemented, and how power is represented in Urdu LED in Pakistan using CDA as an approach. For the analysis purpose, the policy, curriculum and textbook documents were collected through online sources. The findings of the this study reveal that policy has mostly discussed the elements said by the modal at macro-level, while curriculum has completely featured accordingly at meso-level, and by considering the claim of authorities about textbook’s publication as per curriculum- the results also present that power has been represented through modality in the text. The conclusion and educational implications of this study suggest stakeholders and researches for ELPP assessment and evaluation for further development of policies and the field of study.