Uniform education system to provide level-playing field to students: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that introducing uniform education system is his government top-most priority to provide level-playing field to all students across the country.

"Uniform education system is not only the need of modern era but also a basic right of every child," he said while presiding over a meeting regarding the uniform curriculum in Islamabad.

The meeting held on Monday was attended by Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Punjab cabinet ministers Murad Ras, Yasir Humayun, Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa education minister Shehram Tarkai and other officials.

PM Imran stressed that new generation should be fully aware of the life and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) saying: “Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) is the only role model for us and his Sunah is the beacon of light for us.”

He said that the National Education Policy besides bringing improvement in the quality of education would also empower all segments of the society and provide equal opportunities.

The prime minister, however, added that the success of that system depended on the criteria for selection of teaching staff and their capacity building.

He said that the new policy would ensure provision of quality education in the country possible, while the uniform education system would set the example for other countries in the region to follow.

Federal Minister Shafqat Mehmood told the meeting that the introduction of a uniform curriculum at national level was aimed at prompting the analytical and creative capabilities of the students.

Besides promoting curricular education and ‘Pakistanism’, the new system is also aimed at equipping the students with golden principles like truthfulness, fairness, tolerance, respect, mutual harmony, awareness about environment, democracy, human rights, sustainable development and self-defence.

The meeting stressed the need of character building of students should be given special importance in the uniform education system.

The meeting was informed that the new curriculum had been formulated in view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it would be implemented in all the public and private schools as well as religious seminaries across the country.

“Promotion of Islamic teachings, Islamiat would be taught as a separate subject in the curriculum from 1st to 12th grade. For the subject students belonging to minorities, a separate subject namely religious education had been introduced, which would be taught from class one,” the meeting was informed.

The officials also discussed that the focus of uniform curricular education is to equip the students with the requirements of current era and in this regard the process of consultation with all stakeholders had been completed.

The prime minister was also briefed about the Federal Directorate of Education as well as the upgradation of educational institutions.

(With additional input from APP)