Shaheen Akhtar
Govt of Pakistan has recently handed over Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) to Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training which was previously under Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination. Appointment of Dr. ShahzadJeewa is being considered by some religious groups as part of Western sponsored agenda to promote Western / liberal values in education system in Pakistan. Moreover, it is being propagated that all public education boards are given under control of AKU-EB and that Govt of Pakistan is removing Islamic teachings and values from the education syllabus. For this purpose Agha Khan Board has been assigned the leadership in the IBCC. Such ideas have been published in few newspapers in Pakistan that are seriously misleading. Needs to be proliferated in print to eliminate misconceptions, Govt of Pakistan is working on preparing and implementing a Single National Curriculum (SNC) in consultation with all stake-holders including public and private education institutions. SNC is primarily aimed to promote education in accordance with Islamic values and modern day techniques and market requirements. A uniform education system will end inconsistency between public, private schools and madrassahs. The uniform curriculum will enable madrassah students to receive the same education as the students of public and private educational institutes. The structure of IBCC and authority of the chairperson clearly indicate that there is no possibility of manipulation in the matter of syllabus by the Chairperson IBCC. Positive initiatives of the Govt cannot be hijacked by myopic views of few bigoted or misleading individuals who create misconceptions about the education system of Pakistan and polluting the minds of our younger generation. Jamaat-e-Islami has rejected the new curriculum for schools and colleges that was prepared by National Curriculum Council to replace the existing syllabi, terming it against the teachings of Islam and Pakistan’s Constitution. If the rulers did not desist from attempts to secularise the country in the garb of introducing “human values” in the curriculum, the JI would launch a countrywide movement against it and would move court against the rulers, said JI naibameer Prof Ibrahim Khan while addressing a press conference at Lahore Press Club,He warned the government against replacing the curricula with the western secular values under a number of pretexts. He said 99 percent Pakistanis wanted to enforce the system ordained by Allah Almighty and brought by His Messenger, and loved to live their lives as ordered by Quran and Sunnah. He alleged that the committee constituted by the government to replace the curricula comprised of those who lacked even the basic knowledge about Quran and Sunnah. He demanded the government fulfill its electoral promise of uniform education system and syllabi in the country. He demanded that Urdu must be enforced as medium of instructions and examination of Civil Superior Services, proceedings of judiciary and parliament. To a question, he said, the removal of Islamic chapters from the syllabi was among the demands of IMF, WB and other donor agencies. Few days back Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training ShafqatMahmood said that standard of New National Single Curriculum would hopefully surpass current syllabus of premier English medium schools of the country. He was addressing four-day National Conference on Single National Curriculum (Grade I-V) with slogan ‘One Nation, One Curriculum,’ which was organised by National Curriculum Council (NCC), Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. ShafqatMahmood said that it was a historic day as the government had been able to introduce uniform education system across thecountry.He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had been pointing out that current multi-layered curriculum was the main reason for the division and gulf among different strata of the society and had assigned him the task to work out new National Single Curriculum after assuming the office. He said that parallel education system in the country had dampened passion and abilities of the nation by graduating the students with different thinking patterns and capabilities. “It was the failure of state for the last 70 years, since it cannot focus on education with a national single curriculum,” he added. Shafqat lauded the Madaris role for imparting education to children of poor and deprived sections of the society. Under the current education system, he said the education standard for rich and poor was markedly different and distinct, he said adding that English medium schools gave an edge to their students to grab key posts. Shafqat said, “We had to face huge challenges when the prime minister tasked to bring uniform education system; especially after the 18th Amendment it was not possible to bring all stakeholders on one platform. But I was pleased to see the full support and cooperation of the stake holders including Madaris and private schools”. “Yet, there were other challenges, especially the language of new single curriculum, and review of current examination system,” he added. He called upon participants and experts to take up the challenge unanimously and passionately. “You have to think that how new generations would be made a true Muslim, and a good Pakistani through new syllabus. The new curricula should also teach ethics to the minorities according to their religions,” he added. Shafqat said that New Single National Curriculum would be implemented by April 2021 with the efforts of experts. The ownership of the new curriculum would be given to all stakeholders, he added. Earlier, Joint Education Adviser in the Ministry of Federal Education RafiqTahir gave detailed presentation on the goals, key features of four-day conference. He said that during the conference, the stakeholders would deliberate on various areas of the new curriculum and then the recommendations would be presented to the minister. He said that new curricula would be prepared in three phases as under Phase-I the curriculum from class 1 to 6 would be prepared till March 2020, which would be implemented by next year.
