Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is not against the inclusion of famous personalities in curriculum textbooks; “We just want Islamic chapters removed during the previous government’s tenure to be restored and all secular, un-Islamic chapters be removed,” said the K-P local government minister.
JI member and Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan told The Express Tribune on Thursday the party also has reservations over a chapter in the ninth-grade Pakistan Studies textbook. “In the said chapter, Kashmir has been shown as a part of India, and pictures in the book are against our culture,” Khan added.
On Wednesday, JI’s K-P Ameer Professor Ibrahim had warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government if the curriculum in the province was not changed as suggested by the party, the JI would take action.
Ibrahim said his party had conveyed its reservations about the syllabus to the provincial government and suggested revisions, but those were yet to be considered.
A peaceful agenda?
The previous government led by Awami National Party (ANP) had made changes in the academic curriculum in 2006, adding chapters on peace. Material on jihad was deleted from the Islamiat textbook for grade nine and added to the syllabus for grade 11.
Chapters on non-violent personalities like Bacha Khan and Ghani Khan were also added.
Bacha Khan Education Trust Managing Director Khadim Hussain told The Express Tribune after the 18th Amendment, provinces have the right to include their own history, culture, literature and heroes in academic textbooks.
“During ANP’s tenure, after consultations with all parties’ members and stakeholders, it was decided that students be kept away from hate material about other religions and nations,” said Hussain.
He added the new syllabus therefore included national heroes like Bacha Khan, Ghani Khan and some famous poets and also pictures which promote education, such as children expressing an interest in going to school and enjoying learning activities.
Another revision expected
However, the incumbent PTI-led government has decided to develop a new syllabus that will reflect its version of Islamic ideology and the culture of Pakistan. The revised syllabus would be introduced in the next academic year.
Directorate of Curricula and Teacher Education (DCTE) Director Bashir Hussain Shah said so far no changes have been made to textbooks under this government; they are planned for the next academic year.
At a meeting of the education minister with all stakeholders, it was decided all issues raised by various parties would be addressed in devising the new curriculum, added Shah.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2014.
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@Abdullah: It is a terrible step.
A good step from JI
Brilliant idea! Let's make sure that our kids are told lies instead. Let's make sure that they are taught to hate instead. Let's make sure that they become bigots instead. After all, a 'secular' education does threaten our piety and morals (It's constantly under threat because we're so insecure about it).
Indoctrination, brainwashing, is the order of the day. Pakistani children and youth, will be a most confused generation. Pakistani's cannot compete, even in hockey and cricket they cannot compete, forget intellectual pursuits, this will be just another feather in their cap of those who wish to bring this nation down to its heels. Why cannot people of this nation face up to the rest of the world, why are we digging our own graves, why is this nation going head long into a destructive mode? why cannot we even have a honest introspection of where we are, after being independent for 67 years.