‘Single national curriculum to help bridge divisions’

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood Thursday said that the single national curriculum (SNC) would not only do away with the division within the nation but also provide a level playing field to the students.

The minister, addressing the distribution ceremony of awards and prizes among the position holders of Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education here, said the SNC had already been enforced from class 1-5. For class 6 to 8, it would be introduced this year and in the upcoming year for classes 9 and 10.

He said contrary to international practice, the country had three education systems in form of English medium, Urdu medium, and religious seminaries. However, the SNC would end this discrimination as it had been the main target of the incumbent government.

He said the ministry was also striving to overcome the difficulties being faced during the SNC’s implementation.

The minister congratulated the position holders as well as their parents and teachers, besides lauding the FBISE for introducing reforms in education as well as examination system.

He said having around 2,652 educational institutions linked with it including the Pakistan international schools across the world, the FBISE was in the process to do away with the rote learning by introducing examination pattern based on the students learning outcome.

Moreover, he said the government had also established first National Skills University where 600 students were getting skill trained in multiple fields. He also urged the Higher Education Commission to review the universities’ curriculum to conform it with the market needs.

Earlier, the education minister along with Secretary Education Naheed Durrani distributed awards among the toppers of secondary schools certificate (SSC) and higher secondary school certificates (HSSC) of 2020 and 2021 sessions. The first position holders were given gold medals while those on second and third slots got silver and bronze medals respectively besides a laptop, certificate and cash prizes given to all the toppers.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2022.