Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has said that maximum efforts were being made to complete the national curriculum by March next year in order that a uniform education system is implemented across the country.
Speaking at a press conference after chairing a meeting of the National Curriculum Council, the education minister said he was hopeful about the preparation and implementation of the uniform national curriculum from the next academic session. The meeting was attended by representatives of the federal and provincial governments , religious seminaries and schools.
Mahmood said that some of the participants proposed extending the deadline, but the government was making efforts to launch the new curriculum from the next year. He said the NCC wanted to prepare the uniform curriculum in March and implement it in April.
It was the second meeting of the NCC this year. The council has been tasked with sharing the updated curriculum draft with the provinces by November 30. Now, it has been directed to complete the task by December.
Shafqat Mahmood hopeful of implementing uniform curriculum across the country from next year.
The minister said various education systems were operational in the county and the new curriculum would aim at eliminating the gaps in education caused by these multiple systems , adding that a committee of experts would assess which grades Islamic Studies should be taught.
Speaking about the provinces, he said the NCC had representation of all provinces .The provincial authorities would move forward with the backing of the Federal Government to introduce the new curriculum, adding that consensus was being developed on it. He hoped the Sindh education minister becomes part of future meetings on curriculum and syllabus.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered the establishment of the NCC for devising a uniform national curriculum in November 2018 and the first meeting was held in January.