Cambridge schools asked to include Sindhi as compulsory subject

The Sindh Education Department has once again directed the private schools to include 'Sindhi language' as compulsory subject in the syllabus of Cambridge system of education.

In a letter written to the country director, Cambridge International Examination (CIE), Islamabad, and Director British Council, the additional director, registration, Rafia Javed, while referring to the existing laws, rules and a joint resolution adopted by the Sindh assembly, asked them to include Sindhi in O' level GCE without any delay.

"Sindh is the multilingual province, in which Urdu and Sindhi languages are spoken and taught in the schools affiliated with the boards functioning under the government of Sindh. As per Sindh (Teaching, promotion and use of Sindhi Language) Act 1972, amendment Act 1990 and resolution passed by the provincial assembly on February 17, 2010, Sindhi is a compulsory subject from class III to IX and taught in all government and private schools in Sindh following the Matric system of education.

The private schools running under the Cambridge system of education on have not yet included Sindhi language in their syllabus as well as in the examination of grade IX and XI," the letter reads adding that as per Sindh Private Educational Institutions (regulation and control) Ordinance 2001, Act 2003 and rules 2005, teaching Sindhi language is compulsory.

The letter has also quoted the registration process of all the educational institutions that have signed the undertaking form to obey all the laws and rules of the provincial government.

"At the time of registration of an institution, it shall ensure teaching of the Sindhi language in accordance with the existing law and rules," the law and rules said.

Ms Javed in the letter has mentioned the population of Sindhi speaking people and said, "Its nearly 36 million which is 18.18 per cent of the total population of Pakistan. The Sindhi language is also spoken in various areas of Pakistan including Sadiqabad, Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur of Punjab, Lasbela, Sibbi, Qallat, Quetta of Balochistan where more than 0.30 million Sindhi speaking people are residing. It would be unfair if the Cambridge Education Board does not manage to include Sindhi as a subject in the syllabus."

Commenting on the issue, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah said that they have written many times to the private schools, but most of them defy the government directives. "It's now time to take the action against schools which ignore government orders," he said adding that schools running under Cambridge system and others must hire the professional Sindhi teachers."

He further mentioned, "Sindh is 7,000 years old civilization and during the British rule Sindhi was not only declared an official language of the province, but was made mandatory for all government servants to learn it. With this, almost all British officers had to learn Sindhi language. So, how can private educational institutions ignore it."

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2022.