The speakers said that current education and curriculum policy should be reviewed to remove discriminatory teaching materials and practices.
The biases and prejudices in school textbooks are one of the main reasons for the radicalisation of young people and poor quality of education in Pakistan, said academics and civil society activists at a conference here on Wednesday.
“These are not textbooks as much as propaganda brochures which have closed off our children’s minds,” said Irfan Mufti of South Asia Partnership Pakistan, speaking at the conference on ‘Biases in textbooks and education policy’, organised by the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP).
“Discrimination is a national issue and these discriminatory texts are a constant threat to our society,” he said. “I believe that all the primary schools in our country are factories fuelling extremism in our children.” Peter Jacob of the NCJP said that school textbooks painted non-Muslims as the enemy. “We want our teacher to tell our children that minorities or people from other religions or countries are not our enemies,” he said.
“People here who used to deny that Pakistan was an extremist society no longer deny it after Gojra and the Asia Bibi and Rimsha [blasphemy] cases.” Other speakers said that the best way to counter the extremism was through good teachers and good schools. “Educationists must play their role in changing minds through education. I believe our generation needs values more than anything else,” said Dr Christy Munir, the principal of FC College.
“The only way we can become a progressive nation is to be an educated nation. We know that the only tool we have against extremism is education and if there is no education, there will be no peace,” said Father Emmanuel Yousaf, a peace activist.
“There is a huge difference between early and current society. Everyone should respect the changes in society and one should not impose his or her beliefs on others,” said Syed Nisar Safdar, a Supreme Court advocate and social activist.
The speakers said that current education and curriculum policy should be reviewed to remove discriminatory teaching materials and practices. Besides imparting knowledge, textbooks and teachers should focus on teaching students universal humanity and responsible citizenship. Religious education should be removed from public schools, or at least minority students should get an equal opportunity to study their own religion. And the role of religious minorities in the creation and development of Pakistan should be incorporated in the syllabus, the speakers said.
Around 100 people attended the event at Ambassador Hotel.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2013.
COMMENTS (53)
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@Someone: This would be hilarious if it weren't so sad. If given the opportunity, probably three quarters of the population would leave. I've met young people so desperate to leave Pakistan they spend all their waking moments planning and dreaming. Sure, why not leave if you don't like it?! Yeah, right.
I have studied from government textbooks as well as oxford textbooks I didn't read any element of extremism being poured on children. Mr Yousuf should provide reference with books where he found offensive material against other religion. I have never read anything against Christianity or Hinduism. Yes we do have some stories in Urdu books that are too fiction like I don't remember the topic but Mehmood Ghaznavi looted a mander and his heroic act was elaborated in URDU book that is fiction for me who cares? I didn't take it seriously against Hindus as a student especially in Pakistan we study to get good marks only we don't get into facts like O-level students we rattofy hence no negative thoughts are developed in our minds all these mini war stories or whatever pope thought is spreading extremism vanishes from students mind as soon as they are admitted to next class. Who cares really I don't even remember what I studied in Matric or Inter lol
If Mr yousuf is talking about Madarsa extremism yes I am totally against it 75% molvi's are hate mongers government should ban madrasas that are unregistered and open at every nook and corner. Only registered molvis approved from highest religious authority shall preach.
Government should also ban any molvi coming from Afghanistan anywhere in Pakistan. I am sick of Afghan lead extremism in Pakistan. We have given them land to live since 30 years but they can never become our friends more interested in the Indian side pleasing them why not we send all Muhajireen to India they can welfare them as most Indians are talking about welfare? ah I am getting off topic now. Bye!
@Yasin:
"It is neither possible nor desirable for us to have our education system in line with that of the Wesr, or India or anybody else. We are a different nation, created differently. Religious flavour and passion was a very crucial element of it. With a secular, liberal education students will be lacking in perspective of the nation and will be a confused lot resulting in identity crisis. Different folks, different strokes."
Hmmm... you just stated that your religion is incompatible with universal human values, human rights and secularism. You are also declaring that it is within the ideal of your religious state to teach hatred and intolerance to young minds.
@Asif: why we have to compare ourselves only with Indians? At least they help providing free medical help to our kids, where lot many Pakistani have been treated free. That is what you should compare. I hope you will need many candles to search such example.
This is just false propaganda spread by the people who have not read even a single book, let alone a full class syllabus.
I have been educated in this school system. I have never read even a single line that could provoke or incite extremism from class 1 to Masters Level.
These funny organizations keep up grabbing funds by supporting such baseless issues like curriculum, gender bias etc where as they don't even know a fig of it.
@avatar, " Half of india cannot speak in Hindi " THAT is THE REASON why India is still united !!!!!!
You forced URDU on others you got divided !!!!
Get the point !
It is neither possible nor desirable for us to have our education system in line with that of the Wesr, or India or anybody else. We are a different nation, created differently. Religious flavour and passion was a very crucial element of it. With a secular, liberal education students will be lacking in perspective of the nation and will be a confused lot resulting in identity crisis. Different folks, different strokes.
@Realist: "All societies and civilizations use schools for propaganda. So what if we are using it too. Get over it" *
@Someone: Last i have read, pakistanis dont like US, but still millions of them line up to get an US visa? Why is that?
@Realist: u r the prime example of a brainwashed product of pakitani textbooks!! "All society" ?? Institutionalized brainwashing happens only in Pakistan!!
" The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) was formed in 1985 by the Catholic Bishops".
I Think Peter Jacob Should Start Asking Western News Media To Stop Their Hatefull Bias Articles Against Muslims In The Name Of Freedom Of Speach. Anti Semitism Laws Should Cover All Religions Globally.
@Realist:
"We will do whatever we like. Why are Indians so concerned with our welfare? Go and be concerned about your own country."
Of course you have the right to radicalize the society. Non-Pakistanis are not concerned about your welfare, but actually they are worried about their own welfare being negatively affected by what it happening in Pakistan. That is the reason Madeleine Albrigh once said "Pakistan is a global migraine". So you see, when something is causing you a 'migraine' you have to be concerned, and involved in seeking remedy.
Unfortunately it is too late to change the radicalization of the Pakistani mind. Once systematic radicalization reaches a point, then it is on autopilot. Considering that the Pakistan's radicalization has been institutionally nurtured and built-up over six plus decades, it will take over 100 years to de-radicalize the society, assuming the work starts earnest right away.
no its good ...let them be educated like this ...with the child psychology being affected by the texts they will grow into the extremist and hate mongering adults ...totally brainwashed and hence what would be the human resource of the nation???? well half of them will die killing each other and the rest will be polio affected as they wont be able to eradicate polio and half of the generation will have polio or measals as many will spread the word of the "haram" contents in such medicines... very good go ahead ... there would be lesser problems in the world....
@GIndian: Realist is not a waste product he represents the product intended by the Pakistani Education System
Promotion and imposition of biased religious nationalist ideology, with bigotry against minorities, with twisted facts and revisionist history and lack of applied critical thinking, let alone common sense, with no mention of common humanitarian values or tolerance in diversity, makes many young Pakistanis easy prey and ripe for radical brainwashing. Mainstream schools must apply reforms and preventions. Here's an interesting BBC piece on a de-radicalization education programme run by the army, which is worth a read.
Reforming would-be suicide bombers in Pakistan
@Abhinav: Please can you enlighten me which rural area you got schooling, Just for your kind information that text book are same in any given state within. So try some thing better next time. Singh
@Avatar: "... half of India can’t even speak Hindi."
Don't you see, that is the beauty of the whole thing. Hindi is just one among our many national languages and each of our regions jealously protects the primacy of its own language. So Tamilians champion Tamil, Bengalis Bengali, and so on. Our parliament is like a mini UN. The regional language, Hindi, and English, can be used interchangeably in government business.
Its not a big deal if an Indian can't speak Hindi, he/she can still manage just fine anywhere in the country. The only reason Hindi matters is that a large chunk of the densely populated northern states speak it, so it is first among equals. But nothing more.
@Abhinav: will you please quote a single sentence from any Indian text book where Islam or any other religion has been painted in bad light. You mean to say books of rural India are different than urban India? You must be kidding.
@ Realist, i agree what you have said, but we simply can't get over it, why? Because till the time we get over it, there won't be any schools left for students to get infested with state propaganda.
@Realist:
No you can't. That is the problem and we need to eliminate this mullaism mentality hence the need for this article. You have just proven eth importance of highlighting such issues.
Rural schools in India themself are a product of extremism. Textbooks in rural India preach history through a Hindu nationalist revisionist lens, where everything is saffronised and Hindu culture is somewhat promoted as superior. I say this because I myself was schooled in rural India. Thank God a good overseas university education matured my outlook of history and politics.
Abhinav Kalantri, Germany
The Indians complaining here are making a joke of themselves, considering that Indian textbooks themselves are horridly substandard. This says alot: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCERT_controversy
Why Crusades are the part of O and A levels curriculum? Stop Hypocrisy.
religious education should be removed from the primary schools? I can agree with the fact that minorities should be given there religious education but you cannot remove religious education from schools. You can not expect a child to go to school twice a day. ( going to school and also going to there religious schools (madrassa church etc)
More Indians here than Pakistanis, am I on the right website?? It does say Tribune.com.PK!! Go worry about your own problems half of India can't even speak Hindi.
Other day Time magazine printed Budhist Terrorism on its front page and world was roaring on it world don't see there own neck jewsh terrorism in Palestine hindu terrorism in Kashmir and Christian terrorism in Iraq the question what there text book teach them about islam and muslims????
Yes we need to one education system based on one language and sellybas....
@sab sach heh: What about India/Israel/uk/usa all are equally biased none give the full truth.. I don't know about other countries. But if you want to know about India, please come to India and see our institutions and their curriculum..... And then if you actually find a bias, you can go back to Pakistan and stand in the center of a square and yell it aloud that India is biased.... But you know what after you visit India, you would still say "India is biased", but the only difference is it is biased towards the well being of the minorities at the stake of the majority........ Please visit India and see for yourself...
@Faheem Almas: my response to these so-called liberals is that exceptions exist in every society. Haven’t we come across such incidents against Muslims in the western countries? Unfortunately it is an 'exception' in the western countries whereas in Pakistan bias against the minorities is the rule quite literally.. Please do read up about the blasphemy laws and their impact........
Textbook biases: ‘Our schools are extremism factories’ The author can be proud (!!) that Pakistan actually produces the highest quality product in this Manufacturing department... So much so that Pakistanis themselves are not able to handle the effectiveness of the finished product - 'Terrorism / Religious Fundamentalism'...
@Realist: And “get over it” means we have much bigger issues like paying back circular debts of power companies rather than throwing money at unnecessarily revamping the education system. Dude which Madrasa did you study in?? Please let the US drones know it.... There is a saying in English - "Prevention is better than cure"....
Even if you assume every country does propaganda the point is what propaganda are they doing in school text books.
Indian school text books do propaganda to spread secularism, equal respect for all religions, God is one irrespective of what religion you believe him or what name you call him the text books praise leaders who were tolerant of diversity
What propaganda are Pakistan text books doing ?
It's just a non-sense point of view. Education system in Pakistan may have few lapses, but it does not mean that it supports extremism. For the few allegedly discriminatory cases mentioned above, my response to these so-called liberals is that exceptions exist in every society. Haven't we come across such incidents against Muslims in the western countries?
@Iqbal: Those who helped the creation of Pakistan have been pushed or being pushed to the margins, whereas those who opposed the creation, have taken the center stage.
What?!!!!
Those days have gone ,now we are living in infirmation age . The recommendations of the conference should be implemented . Now if schools will be used as propaganda machine then it will result the formation of a confused society . And people will be not able to decide which way they should move and what they should do to save the sovereignity and integrity of the country . They will be treated just like an animal with carrot stick policies .
@sab sach heh: Give us proof. No other country teaches hate the way we do.
Realist is a waste product of such educational system.
@Realist - "Why are Indians so concerned with our welfare?"
Because you are our neighbour and its a nightmare having a nation charged up with hate, next door. Not just us, the whole world seems to be concerned with your welfare.
What about India/Israel/uk/usa all are equally biased none give the full truth..
Such debates have been going in Pakistan for so many years. Have they been able to remove a single line from the test books? Freed Parachas of JI openly speak against Hindu Baniya during TV debates. Pakistan was created on the basis of two nation theory and therefore the religious bias is in her blood. There is no way this will disappear. This will eat away Pakistan.
Lage raho munnabhai. No need to revamp anything in history books or anything, the cars can run on water in pakistan. It is a miracle. My neighbouring Pakistan is great. The world loves you, everyone, everywhere is wrong. Pakistan paindabad. Lol. Cheerio
The article is an Eye-opener and, a well known secret. But for one thing am sure until the newspapers and press like tribune exist in Pakistan, there is hope for better future
@Indian Wisdom:
We will do whatever we like. Why are Indians so concerned with our welfare? Go and be concerned about your own country.
@Hala And "get over it" means we have much bigger issues like paying back circular debts of power companies rather than throwing money at unnecessarily revamping the education system.
I agree with only one point , the non-muslims should be given a choice. Other than that everything is fine.
Yep, just because we have Pakistan studies, Urdu and Islamic studies as subjects? Get a life. If you don't like these subjects, stop pretending to be Pakistani and do everyone a favor by moving to another country.
Dear Mr Realist! If i accept your point for a moment, i would say that they are using in a constructive way and we can analyze our position in the world. Schooling has vital role in the development of a any constructive society.
So just because one person decides to jump in the well, you will too? Develop your mind and think for yourself. In order to solve the problem you need to accept that there is a problem. Extremism does exist in education and its sad. I think it is totally unfair for a student who is a minority to study Islamiat in order to pass his/her class. This needs to change.
@Realist: everyone does it, so we should do it too? what kind of logic is that? "get over it?" what does that mean? this is not some kind of personal insult or injury that one should get over. this is a systematic problem that needs to be fixed and the first step in fixing it is pointing out the problem.
Minorities, especially Christians, supported the formation of Pakistan. Now they need to repent for their folly.
@Realist: "All societies and civilizations use schools for propaganda. So what if we are using it too. Get over it."
Yes sure!!! why not!!! Please continue with your downward spiral.....If you think that best use of schools is to be used as propaganda machine (instead of inculcating objective analytically capabilities), best of luck for your future...
All societies and civilizations use schools for propaganda. So what if we are using it too. Get over it.