Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Tuesday said, fortunately each federating unit including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) was jointly working with federal government onsingle National Curriculum. Addressing policy dialogue on “Religious Inclusion and respect for diversity in education system” organized by Centre for Social Justice, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aaghai and Pakistan Coalition for Education, the minister said the government was determined to develop single National curriculum as it was part of party manifesto as well. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was talking about it from very beginning.
The minister said it would be first time in country’s history that they have introduced single National Curriculum.
“We have to accomplish something which would be remarkable”, he said. Government has included all the provinces actively in the process, adding that Sindh province was also fully supporting the uniform National curriculum. He said not only this but many other areas was needed to be focused on. He said, “we are also working with ‘Wafaq-ul-Madaris’ on it and also associated with elite schools system”. This issue required serious thinking and his ministry would organize National conference to discuss issues related to languages.
However, the minister said Pakistan is not a single language country as there are many language and diversity.
Shafqat Mahmood said the government and particularly Prime Minister lmran Khan has very strong stance on the issues related to tolerance. He said, "We should accept and open our hearts for diversity in the country".
The minister said every child should read same thing either going to elite school or government school. He expressed pleasure that a lot of people have accepted the importance of single National curriculum. He said the government was also determined that nothing would be based on hatred in the curriculum, adding that they would have to end the class division in education.
The panel discussion was also attended by Executive Director, Centre for Social Justice Peter Jacob, Munizee Jahangr, Nighat Lone, Dr. Baela Raza JAMIL, Musharraf Zaidi, Wajiha Akram, Dr. Qibla Ayaz, Harris Khalique, Dr. Sughra Chaudhry Khan, Khuyrsheed Nadeem, Dr. Muhammad Zia ul Haq, Amjad Nazeer, Prof. Dr. Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Prof.Anjum James Paul, Tahira Abdullah and Shunila Ruth, Parlimentary Secretary for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Armony.
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