‘Include minorities in edu policy making’ Pakistan

 Wednesday, December 09, 2009

KARACHI: Participants of a provincial consultation on “Education policy and the exclusion of minorities in Pakistan” have demanded to include all religious communities when preparing the national education policy to eliminate discrimination prevailing against religious minorities in the policy, stated educationists, politicians, journalists and rights activists during the consultation.

Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister and Vice Chairperson of Education Reforms Unit Sharmila Farooqi said the government was committed to educate all its citizens without any discrimination, adding that representatives from all religious minorities should be taken on board in preparing any kind of policy.

She said the suggestions of the house should be shared with the chief minister and the prime minister, as those recommendations should be accommodated in the education policy.

Additional Secretary of Education Mushtaq Shahani appreciated the education policy of 1972 and 2009, claiming there was no discrimination against religious minorities in the present education policy.

Pakistan Hindu Welfare Association Chairperson Mangla Sharma and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Uzma Noorani said religious minorities had been facing discrimination at all levels, demanding teachers’ appointment for religious education of non-Muslims.

Asadullah presented the findings of South Asian Forum for Human Rights, which were gathered from different districts of the province during the training of media, and gave suggestions accordingly.

Advocate Lala Hassan said discrimination against religious minorities prevails in the constitution as well and it needs to be eliminated. Criticising the absence of the education minister, he said the minister had time to inaugurate CNG pumps, but no time for gatherings on education. Muhammad Ali Mangrio, Mansoob Hussain Siddiqui, Aajiz Jamali, Asim Zubair, Yasmeen Butt, Shamim Wasi and others also spoke on the occasion, while Hina Siddiqui conducted the proceedings of the consultation. staff report

An organisation present at the consultation has put forward the following demands:

* Non-Muslim teachers should be appointed for teaching the compulsory subject of Ethics to non-Muslim students.

* The government should offer equal opportunities for scholarships to all students regardless of their faith.

* A committee or board comprising educationists, religious scholars, minority figures and elected representatives needs to be constituted to formulate an undisputed national education policy.

* Educational syllabi must offer complete freedom to get religious education and the textbooks should not include any chapters and essays that might hurt religious sentiments.

* Textbook contents should include matters on every religion practiced in the country.