ISLAMABAD: Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood has said that efforts to implement a uniform curriculum in the entire country are underway after revising it according to the educational needs of Pakistani students.
Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, he said that a consensus was reached during a meeting with Tanzeemat-e-Madaris over the registration of the religious seminaries under pre-decided conditions to stop the spread of religious hatred.
He said these efforts are being made to streamline religious seminaries while letting them remain independent. He said that the government will not interfere in the internal matters of madaris but they will be brought in the mainstream through the registration process, adding that un-registered seminaries would not be allowed to function.
Similarly, registration of madaris which fail to comply with the conditions of registration will be canceled.
The minister said that the Ministry of Education will open twelve regional offices across the country to assist madaris in various areas including imparting technical and vocational training.
He said that the religious seminaries will teach contemporary subjects of relevant boards and exams of these subjects will be conducted by the Federal Board after which madrassah students will be awarded a certificate by the Federal Board, which will be accepted at every forum.
Further, the minister said that a department for religious education will also be established at the Federal Board in order to facilitate madaris.
He appreciated the madaris for imparting free and quality education to deserving children and said that these centers are doing a national service by assisting the state and the government in imparting education to students similar to private schools.
He also lauded Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and state institutions for “playing an important role in developing consensus.”
