Private education boards agree to teach Sindhi

All schools in Sindh are expected to begin teaching Sindhi from the next academic session

KARACHI: All the private schools affiliated with Cambridge board, Aga Khan University board and Catholic board have agreed to include Sindhi as a compulsory subject in their curricula, following the orders of Sindh education and literacy department.

According to the Directorate of Private Schools and Institutions Registrar Rafia Javed, Sindh Assembly passed a unanimous resolution in March this year, bounding all schools to teach Sindhi as a compulsory subject from class three to nine.

Following this development, all schools in Sindh are expected to begin teaching the language with the commencement of the new academic session. Several private schools have also confirmed to the directorate, expressing their consent to teach the subject.

However, according to Catholic Board Executive Secretary Anthony D'Silva, no decision has yet been reached regarding the inclusion of Sindhi in 'O' Levels' curriculum. He said that the Sindh education and literacy department will sign a contract with the Cambridge board to decide on a paper pattern for Sindhi and once that is approved, 'O' Levels students will also be taught the language.

Particularly referring to the Cambridge schooling system, registrar Javed said that the Directorate of Private Schools and Institutions has sent letters to the British Consulate and the Cambridge Assessment International Education CEO. The letters include recommendations for the revision of some subjects taught under the Cambridge schooling system and preparing students to pass Sindhi examination, she said.

The directorate had earlier passed orders to make Sindhi a compulsory subject in October last year. However, the orders were not implemented in many schools despite raiding teams visiting educational facilities to ensure the enforcement of the Directorate of Private Schools and Institutions' orders.

According to registrar Javed, school registration certificates already have a section that declare Sindhi a compulsory subject but several schools do not comply with it.

However, Agha Khan University Board Director Shehzad Jeva said that schools registered under the Aga Khan board are already teaching Sindhi from class six to nine. Only the Director of Private Schools and Institutions will be able to comment on the inclusion of Sindhi in the curriculum and it being taught at other schools, he added.

On the other hand, parents have expressed concerns over this decision. They said that it will be easier for the students of class three to learn the language, who will be taught the basics of the Sindhi, in comparison to the students of class five or six, who will have to learn more advanced Sindhi.

Sindhi should be taught as an optional subject instead, they said.

However, registrar Javed cleared that Sindhi will only be taught to the students of class three initially.

Commenting on the importance of teaching Sindhi at schools, registrar Javed said that Sindhi was the provincial language of Sindh and should be prioritised over other languages.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2019.