Teaching tolerance: Multi- faith lobby to press for changes in textbooks

Participants at moot stress need to teach history without biases

PESHAWAR: A provincial lobbying delegation (PLD) has been constituted to push for changes in the content of textbooks taught at government schools in K-P. According to a press release issued on Sunday, the decision was taken at a meeting held at K-P Elementary and Secondary Education department in the city on Sunday. The event was organised by Peace Education and Development Foundation (PEAD) Pakistan in collaboration with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).

“The delegation is made up of like-minded people and representatives from various faiths,” read the press release.

Roshan Khattak, a PLD member, said textbooks taught at the primary level need to be rewritten as whatever children learn during their formative years influences their long-term perceptions.

“It is time we seriously reconsider reforming the curriculum and our textbooks,” the document quoted Khattak as saying. “This will ensure our future generation is skilled and can think critically about problems and provide solution.”

Overhaul

Speaking on the occasion, K-P Elementary and Secondary Education Chief Planning Officer Idrees Azam Khan lauded PEAD’s efforts to collect concrete data on hate material in textbooks.

“We need to be honest and impartial when teaching children about the country’s history,” the document cited Idrees Azam as saying. “We cannot give them a one-sided version of events.

Amir William, a Christian representative, said the contributions of minorities in the independence movement have been glossed over in history books. PEAD has been reviewing textbooks taught at government schools across the province to eliminate hate material. Earlier this month, it identified material in Pakistan Studies textbooks which incites hatred against Hindus.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th,  2015.