PCTB bans textbooks for wrong map

Board's managing director issues notification on Thursday

LAHORE: The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) banned books of social studies being taught at a private group of schools.

Books have been cited as ‘controversial and objectionable' and have been banned for printing the wrong map of Pakistan. PCTB Managing Director Abdul Qayyum issued a notification to this effect on Thursday.

The PCTB has also lodged a complaint for the registration of a criminal case against the administration of the private school, publisher and producer of the books.

In a notification, PCTB stated that the books on social studies for classes 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8, being taught at a private school, have controversial and objectionable content, especially with reference to the map of Pakistan. “These books are hereby banned by PCTB Lahore and have not been approved for the use in educational institutions in any form under Section 10 of the PCTB Act, 2015."



“Under the act, it is prohibited that no person shall, except with the prior approval of the board, print, publish, sell or prescribe in an institution any textbook or supplementary material, an application for approval to print, publish, sell or prescribe in an institution a textbook or supplementary material shall be made in such a manner and form and on the payment of such fee as may be prescribed, the board may direct any person to amend, delete or withdraw any portion or the whole of curriculum, textbook or supplementary material, the board may prohibit any person or agency from producing, printing, publish', selling or using in an institution any textbook or supplementary material or any part of it.

It also states that “The board shall not approve the printing, publication, selling or prescribing in an institution of any textbook or supplementary material which is or is like, to be detrimental for examination or assessment purposes, or which contains anything repugnant to the injunctions of Islam, or contrary to the integrity, defence or security of Pakistan or any part of Pakistan, public order or morality, if the board issues a direction or prohibition under subsections (3) or (4) to a person or on an agency such person or agency shall, within the time specified by the board, submit an implementation report.”

The PCTB has also directed that the books must not be used as textbooks, supplementary reading material, reference or guidebooks etc at any level. It said the matter is to be treated as urgent and strict compliance must be ensured.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2018.