Unified educational system aims advancement: PM Imran

Curriculum for class one to five has been developed and would be implemented by March 2021

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the aim behind the implementation of unified educational curriculum is to enable the young generation to meet the challenges of technological age and instill in them the social values that highlight their distinct national character.

The premier made these remarks while chairing a high-level meeting to review progress on the implementation of unified educational curriculum across the country on Thursday.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood, secretary education and other high officials.

PM Imran emphasised that the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), guidelines of Quaid-e-Azam and the philosophy of Allama Iqbal should be made part of the curriculum.

While stressing that the curriculum should cater to the needs of modern times, he called for the elimination of the role of mafias in the publication of unified curriculum textbooks.

The meeting was told that the current “class-based” education system had not only divided the educational institutions, teachers and students but was also serving the interests of a particular class.

It was said that the rationale behind the new system was to eliminate the disparity between curriculum, medium of instruction and teachers and students’ performance, which had resulted in differing mindsets causing a fractured national psyche.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government after coming into power had formed the National Curriculum Council comprising representatives from all federating units besides famous personalities and representatives from the private sector and religious seminaries.

The participants noted that the implementation of the unified curriculum for educational institutions and its evaluation had remained one of the important elements of the PTI election manifesto.

Working groups were also established wherein technical input was provided by a dedicated team of professionals and subject specialists.

World renowned educational assessment institutions including Cambridge, Aga Khan University’s Institute of Educational Development and LUMS also contributed to the formulation of evaluation systems.

The prime minister was apprised that under Phase-I, unified curriculum for class one to five had been developed and would be implemented by March 2021.

The phase-II curriculum for class 6 to 8 would be ready by March 2021 and implemented by March 2022, while phase-III curriculum for class 9 to 12 would be ready by March 2022 and enforced by March 2023.

The prime minister was told that among extensive stakeholders' consultations, four-day workshops had been conducted in all the provinces in which more than 400 experts participated including the representatives of Ittehad Tanzeem-ul-Madaris.

He was also briefed regarding measures taken in the wake of coronavirus for educational institutions.

The meeting was informed that a special educational transmission of seven hours had been arranged in collaboration with Pakistan Television so that the students could continue their educational activities at home.