Call for introducing concept of shared identity in education

LAHORE:The educational curricula should be purged of contents that breed hatred towards any religious belief besides introducing the concept of shared identity and citizenship in the syllabi at high school levels to inculcate acceptance for cultural diversity among students.

These are some of the findings of the study report “Interfaith Relations in Pakistan; Perspectives and Worldview of Youth in Punjab” released by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) here on Thursday.

The research study is based on nine training and educational workshops, pre- and post-event surveys, and detailed interviews of the select participants to elicit their viewpoints on various matters relating to peace and harmony in Pakistan. PIPS conduced these trainings in major cities of Punjab including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sargodha, and Bahawalpur.

The experts who participated in these workshops included Judge of Shariah Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court Dr. Khalid Masud, Chairperson of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Dr. Qibla Ayaz, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Sargodha Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, human rights activist Peter Jacob, and Director PIPS Muhammad Amir Rana besides many other religious scholars, journalists and academicians.

In recent past, the scale of religious extremism and violence witnessed in Pakistan could not have been possible without the formidable role of the youth who were indoctrinated in violent ideologies and used as weapons of war by militant groups, says the report.

“Apparently, the state has reneged on its responsibility to educate the country’s children,” the study argues. It further says that the existing education system in the country with outdated teaching methods and syllabi mostly fails to impart academic and professional skills among youth that could help them improve their socio-economic status in the society.The report offers a set of recommendations for improving the overall state of Pakistani youth. It recommends that critical thinking and reasoning may be included in the curricula.