Rewriting national narrative: K-P textbooks politicised by every ruling party since 2002

Underrepresent women, paint negative picture of non-Muslims

PESHAWAR: A study on textbooks in K-P revealed they present partisan ideologies and politics, among other biased material. The study titled ‘Textbooks of hate or peace’ was launched by Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation in the city on Thursday, a press release stated.

The 122-page-long report is a timespan review of textbooks in K-P under three successive governments, namely Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, Awami National Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The report reviewed textbooks of Urdu, English, Islamiat and Social Studies.

Issues in the material

The study identifies several issues. These include omission of women and minorities in several chapters and biases against minorities. For instance, a chapter on political personalities of the province in the Social Studies textbook for class IV mentions ten personalities, all of whom are men. Similarly, a chapter in the same book overtly discriminates against the Sikh community while mentioning Sikh rule in the province.

Recommendations

The report suggests textbooks need to foster religious and socio-cultural pluralism and diversity, and recommends teaching children about non-Muslim heroes and eminent personalities.



These include Supreme Court Justice AR Cornelius, Justice Dorab Patel and Justice Rana Bhagwan Das; Pakistan’s first Nobel Laureate Dr Abdus Salaam; and the 1965 war hero Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry, among many other non-Muslim Pakistani luminaries. The study also recommends textbooks must necessarily be politically non-partisan and non-ideological. They should focus only on universally acknowledged, verifiable facts; principles; and ideas of peace, equality, diversity, pluralism, respect for all.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, K-P Assembly Deputy Speaker Meher Taj Roghani said there was no fundamental difference in the teachings of Islam and other religions as they all taught peace. She lauded the study and offered her help in devising any amendments or bills to revise textbooks in K-P. Provincial Minister for Minorities Sardar Suran Singh endorsed the study regarding the findings on minority communities. “If Sikhs are portrayed as cruel in our textbooks, then children will grow up hating my community,” he said.

Former vice chancellor for Islamia College University Qibla Ayaz lauded the study, saying that it was encouraging to see there were people trying to highlight things that are sensitive and require a bold effort.

He shared an anecdote, highlighting the current environment resulting from course books. Ayaz said when he explained the Holocaust in his classroom, a few students spoke in support of Hitler. He said he later told them it was the Nazi regime which also caused Muslims to suffer.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th,  2016.