Sir Syed praised for advocating scientific education

Islamabad :Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Engineer Muhammad Balighur Rehman praised Sir Syed Ahmad Khan for emphasising on modern scientific education and said the Indian Muslim reformer and statesman of the 19th Century had taken bold steps and presented his stance in a very daring manner.

He was addressing a ceremony marking Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's 200th birthday on the Higher Education Commission premises here. The minister said Sir Syed Ahmed Khan pushed the discouraged Muslims of the post-1857 India to empower themselves through acquiring education relevant to current times and needs.

"Today, universities in Pakistan are educating scientific education to students and our country is moving on the path of progress," he said. The minister said the government was committed to the promotion of education in the country.

"Our net enrolment in schools has been increased from 68 percent to 78 percent. The curriculum from pre-I to Class-V has been revised and we are working for revising the curriculum from Class-6 to 12," he said.

The minister said the new curriculum was values-intensive, while a great emphasis was laid on the students' character-building. He said learning process must be continued for life-long and the students must be capable to know the difference between right and wrong.

"Teaching of the Holy Quran has been made compulsory in all educational institutions in Islamabad Capital Territory. Under the new law, students would read the Holy Quran from class one to five and those in grades six to 12 will be taught a simple translation of the Holy Quran," he said. HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, grand sons of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, including Syed Ahmad Masood and Syed Muhammad Asadullah Khan, also addressed the ceremony.