PHOTO: FILE
Children from different mediums of education think differently, therefore developing a unified national narrative remains a challenge, he said.
Education sector is facing numerous challenges like improving the standard of education though remaining indecisive about the medium of curriculum.
“We have to raise the standard of our education and the ministry of education was making all out efforts while taking concrete steps in this regard but the language, Urdu or English, for the curriculum has yet to be decided,” he said.
“We cannot abandon Urdu and have to take English along too, besides teaching mother tongues to children as well,” he said.
Mahmood was felicitating position holder students of Secondary School Certificates (SSC) Part-II exams 2019 announced by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) on Tuesday. The board showed 85% passing result.
The minister made the announcements in a ceremony held at FBISE, also attended by the Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education Wajiha Akram, FBISE Chairman Dr Ikram Ali Malik, position holder students, parents, teachers and academicians.
Mahmood appreciated the girls for dominating the results and clinching top positions.
He said that FBISE is the largest education board of the country and has to take the lead in reforms. The minister said that the curriculum was being reviewed to bring it at par with modern times.
In this regard, subjects like artificial intelligence have to be added in science and technology education.
Moreover, updating the curriculum will also require teaching the teachers, he said.
Emphasising the different challenges being faced by the education sector, the minister said that out of schools children was a major issue among others. He termed the different kind of curriculum being taught at schools, a major reason of differences among the thoughts of nation.
Pragmatic approach towards national language
He reiterated government's endeavour for the development of Urdu language. The government, he said, would also take necessary steps for the promotion of science subjects among youth.
Meanwhile, according to FBISE result a total of 87,114 regular, private and ex-candidates appeared in the SSC Part II examinations 2019, out of which 73,203 passed the exams with percentage of 84.03 %.
In Science Group, Syed Muhammad Abbas from Hamza Army Public School Stadium Road Rawalpindi secured first position by securing 1,089 marks, while the second position was clinched jointly by three students including, Zaira Nasir from Fazaia Inter College Sector E-9 Islamabad, Laiba Ali from Army Public School and College for Girls Tufail Road Lahore Cantt and Ammara Sarwar from Islamabad Model College for Girls Sector I-10/4 Islamabad with 1,088 marks.
The third position was also shared among three students with 1,087 marks including Fatima Noor Alam from Army Public School and College Tufail Road Lahore Cantt, Urooj from Fazaia Inter College, Sector E-9 Islamabad and Nayab Mohsin from FG Girls High School No1, Wah Cantt.
In Humanities Group, the first position was secured by the Faiza Bibi from Future Foundation School, Misrial Road Rawalpindi Cantt with 1,031 marks, while the second position was clinched by the Ayesha Khali from FG Sir Syed Girls Secondary School Rawalpindi Cantt with 1,015 marks. The third position was achieved by the Esha Fatima from OPF Girls College, Sector F-8/2 Islamabad with 1,014 marks.
The result was available on the FBISE website, while the same has already been conveyed through SMS to all the candidates.
The result cards of the students shall be dispatched to them at their addresses. However, SSC Supplementary Examination 2019 shall commence from September 04.
Addressing the results announcement ceremony, education minister congratulated the position holder students, parents and teachers for showing outstanding performance in SSC exams and wished them good luck in the future. He hailed the girls' performance for outshining the boys in results. He termed girls clinching of top position a good omen for the country.
"No country could progress without providing education to women" the minister quoted. He underlined the need of using modern technology for increasing quality of literacy rate.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2019.
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