Curriculum reforms urged

KARACHI:

Minority MPA Mahesh Kumar Malani, in a separate call-attention notice, objected to the ethics subject being exclusively assigned to non-Muslim students. "Ethics should be part of the curriculum for all students," he argued. "Non-Muslim students, including Christians, do not object to learning Islamiat, so why single them out?" He also demanded a separate educational board for the Christian community.

In reply, Education Minister Sardar Shah stated that the current policy stems from the PTI government's Single National Curriculum, which the Sindh government had opposed. "Muslim students are taught Islamiat, and non-Muslims are taught Ethics. We reviewed the curriculum in 2022 and agree that further improvements are necessary," he said. He added that curriculum changes are a continual process globally, and since Hinduism originated in Sindh, the majority of non-Muslim students are Hindu.

Responding to another call-attention notice from MQM MPA Najam Mirza regarding the Sindh Electronic Centralized College Admission Program (SECAP), Education Minister Sardar Shah said the policy has now been extended to the entire province. "Admissions are computerized and automatic, with no human interference," he clarified. He explained that priority is given to students with A-1 and A grades, particularly in high-demand colleges such as PECHS. "Previously, recommendations played a role in admissions, but that is no longer the case. People now request admissions in specific colleges, but not everyone can be accommodated," he said.