Shehbaz govt launches major character education strategy

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the Shehbaz Sharif government has introduced a comprehensive strategy for introducing character-building education in all government schools in the federal capital from new academic session, for holistic development of the youth by cultivating character traits and virtues.

Secretary Education Mahyuddin Wani told The News that not only the private schools in the capital territory are also being told to join the strategy but the provinces will also be approached to adopt the same for character building at developmental stages of students from pre-school to grade 12. The newly designed character education curriculum, he explained, is set to be implemented with the assistance of current educators, who will receive specialised training from professional organisations. These organisations will equip the educators with the necessary skills to efficiently and effectively deliver the new curriculum, ensuring that the implementation process is smooth and impactful.

Wani said that academic success alone is not sufficient to prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Character development is a cornerstone of education and that the cultivation of character traits such as integrity, empathy, resilience, and responsibility is essential for the personal and social well-being of our students, said the secretary.

He informed that in developing this strategy (for character building,) the authorities have consulted diverse range of sources including Islamic as well as the international best practices in character education. Curriculum for character education has been prepared and is divided into four aspects - civic, moral, performance and individual character. It is hoped that this curriculum will become a source of such positive change in society that will result in a morally strong, inclusive, tolerant, and prosperous Pakistan. Wani said that character education places significant emphasis on principles of social justice, patriotism, and civic responsibility.

Character education is of utmost importance in educational institutions since it significantly influences the values, attitudes, and behaviours of students, equipping them to be accountable and effective contributors to society, the secretary said, adding, in order to successfully carry out character education projects it is necessary to have the active participation of different stakeholders, such as head teachers, teachers, parents, and the wider community.

He said that the parents have a crucial role in strengthening character education within the household and fostering their children’s moral and social growth. He said that the government expects from the parents to help strengthen character education ideals taught at school by exemplifying positive behaviours and effectively conveying family values and expectations.