‘Uniform curriculum at primary level next year’

Islamabad : Minister for Federal Education, Professional Training and National Heritage Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday said that new uniform national curriculum from class 1 to 6 would be implemented by April 2021 with the efforts of all stakeholders in the country.

He stated this while speaking at a one-day conference organised by International Islamic University (IIU), Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IIRD) on ‘Yaksan Qoumi Nisab aur Hamara Nizam-e-Taleem’ (Uniform National Curriculum and Our Educational System).

IIU President Ahmed Yousif Al-Draiweesh, Rector Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, senior faculty members and large number of students were also present on the occasion.

The minister said that thanked IIU, IIRD for organizing a special conference on uniform national curriculum to create awareness about the efforts being underway.

He said that it was our responsibility to create awareness about the uniform National curriculum.

Shafqat Mahmood said that it was also part of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Manifesto to introduce uniform curriculum for all the students, adding that PTI believes that every child has equal rights and they must have the opportunities to grow in life.

Under the current education system, he said the education standard for rich and poor was markedly different and distinct, he said adding that English medium schools gave an edge to their students to grab key posts.

The minister said that parallel education system had dampened the abilities of the nation by graduating the students with different thinking patterns and capabilities.

“Yet, there were other challenges, especially the language of new single curriculum,” he said.

The minister said that a national conference would be organised on March 19 to resolve the issues related to language of the uniform curriculum, adding that stakeholders would deliberate on various areas of the new curriculum and then the recommendations would be prepared.

He said that all the stakeholders including Madaris and private institutions were also included in the preparation of new uniform national curriculum.

He said that there would be need to train teachers for implementation of new curriculum.

The new curricula would be prepared in three phases as under phase-1 the curriculum from class 1 to 6 would be implemented by next year.

Speaking the occasion, Rector IIUI Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai highly praised the government for introducing a single National curriculum, adding that it will help in developing one thinking and one nation.

He said that He said that today conference was also being attended by the students of religious seminaries.

Dr. Khalid Rehman also highly praised the government initiative to introduce one uniform national curriculum for all the institutions.

Earlier, President IIU Ahmed Yousif Al-Draiweesh, Rector IIU and senior faculty members warmly welcome the minister on arrival at the Faisal Mosque Campus.