cULTURAL hINDRANCES

Educating children for quality and lifelong learning is very essential for the development of active citizenship, indispensable for their active part in a democratic society; and vital to promoting democratic culture. The role of teachers in promoting democracy learning through active and participatory approaches is essential. The Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (1997) suggested inclusion of the courses of human rights in all school curricula. In its further recommendation (2002), it was stressed upon that the initial training of teachers in education for democratic citizenship is mandatory for which various steps like lifting up the level of professionalism of teachers and introducing new measures important today are to be taken.

The challenges like cultural deviation and nationalism, worldwide threats to security, expansion of new technologies of information and ecological harms do demand the new caliber from a teacher. In addition to them are the problems of the population movements, emergence of the once repressed people and the increasing demand for individual independence and new forms of equality. Further more, the weakening of social makeup and unity among people , doubts about conservative political institutions, types of governance and political leaders, increasing political, economic and cultural interconnectedness and interdependence are persistently intensifying the increasing pressure on educators and teachers to prepare and pace with the new century..

The curses of globalization, internet hazards, radioactivity of the nuclear developments, greed for power over the weaker nations, immoral and unethical attitudes of the world powers, the genetic decoding, the tussles of civilizations and cultures also require teachers to be well-equipped. The prevailing social and moral evils demand the new roles of teachers. So, for their innovative roles and effective performance, the realization and recognition of teachers' democratic rights is very necessary. It is the need of the day to acknowledge and realize their democratic rights and assure their accessibility.

The rapidly changing world increases the need for an active, informed and responsible community which resultantly demands commonly accepted aim of education and role of teachers. In other words, the responsibility of teacher as a universal leader is greater. A teacher must be prepared for promoting forms of education and training at a time of increasing interconnectedness and interdependence at regional and international level.

Dürr and Martins (2000) suggest that the new form of education is to prepare the learners for actual involvement in society. To provide such teaching presents important challenges for the teaching profession. A teacher is meant to learn the new forms of knowledge, develop new teaching methods, find new ways of working and create new forms of professional relationships. Teaching should be enhanced with current affairs, critical thinking and skill teaching. .

Researches on the problem indicate clearly that problem in the realization of and access to the democratic rights of teachers in Pakistan still exists though the Constitution and Civil Laws of Pakistan contain their recognition and provision. In some cases the private educational managers in particular and public managers in general have been violating the democratic rights of teachers. Researches show that the situation in private and female teachers is alarmingly worse. It is because of the lack of their significant leading role and struggle for the realization of their rights.

The cause of this disparity is not only the community or government or educational managers but the teachers themselves so as they are not effectively performing their job and do not struggle for their rights. Consequently, this deprivation has disturbed the personality, competence and family and social life of teachers in Pakistan

Most of the teachers do have the caliber of management and leadership, like university teachers, but lack to actively participate in the struggles for the realization their democratic rights.