The Ministry of Education will submit to the government the first revised draft of curricula for primary, secondary and higher secondary levels in June for approval, which would be subsequently implemented to improve the dismal state of education in the country, Business Recorder learnt on Friday.
Informed sources said that National Curriculum Council (NCC) established on the recommendation of the Senate Standing Committee has undertaken the task of updating the curricula to make it more responsive to the socio-economic needs which is almost complete for onward submission to the government.
The present curricula, revised and updated in 2000 and 2002 for science subjects and social sciences, respectively, is being reviewed for sciences, social sciences subjects and humanities at the primary, secondary and higher secondary levels.
The purpose of revision is to make the curriculum more vibrant and responsive to the socio-economic, technical, professional and labour market needs.
The council has been tasked to develop a coherent long-term curriculum policy for the educational system based on nation-wide stakeholder consultation. It identified a curriculum framework, reviewed main principles of new curriculum policy and recommended an effective institutional and organisational structure for regular revision to incorporate latest changes.
The government is faced with three-dimensional problems in education sectors including coping with alarmingly low-enrolment of girls, lack of facilities and curricula not responsive to the socio-economic needs for which effective measures are being taken to revamp the existing system.
Computer education from class six would be declared compulsory and English had been declared as a compulsory subject from class 1 in the government schools. The process of revising curricula is almost complete and first draft was expected in June, they concluded.
It may be recalled that the President General Pervez Musharraf since taking over, has committed himself to bring about changes in the curricula as the syllabus being taught in the schools and madrassas was being considered and blamed for provoking young brains to crush un-Islamic elements.
The hard-liners, however, were of the view that the government was making all these changes purely due to Western pressure, which both General Musharraf and Education Ministry have been categorically ruling out that it was the need of hour, though late, to improve education standards in the country.
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