A Senate panel has expressed serious reservations over the recreation of devolved ministries with new names at the federal level and stated that it was against the spirit of devolution under the 18th Amendment. Senate Function Committee which met here Thursday and was chaired by Taj Haider stated that recreation of devolved ministries by the federal government was violation of the Constitution and devolution of powers.
Taj Haider stated that Sindh had expressed reservations and criticised its own party's government at the Center when some devolved ministries were created at federal level.
He added that after the 18th constitution amendments some 18 to 19 ministries were devolved to the provinces from center but after some time these ministries were created with different names at federal level. However, the issue was deferred due to absence of Cabinet Secretaries.
The committee stated that it would have no objection on establishment of the National Curriculum Council if it does not encroach up the right of provinces. Minister for Education Balighur Rehman informed the committee that after 18th Constitutional Amendment, the subjects in the concurrent list were devolved to provinces including curriculum. Besides capacity issues, working separately on curriculum by provinces and areas will not only create disconnect between the education and training of the children of nation but will also affect quality and standards.
He said that there is a need to devise and maintain minimum curricula in every field. He added that there should be enough flexibility to add on regional curricula by provinces/areas/private schools. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2009 continues to be a jointly owned national document ever since the amendment. NEP 2009 assigns Inter Provincial Education Ministerial Conference (IPEMC) the role to oversee educational development including monitoring and review of the NEP.
In the light of the aforementioned decision, the formation of the National Curriculum Council (NCC) was approved unanimously by all provinces and areas in the IPEMC held on February 11, 2014, with the objective to develop minimum Curriculum that ensures Minimum National Standards in all subjects and emphasises on national ideology and societal needs.
He said the National Curriculum Council Secretariat has been established in the curriculum wing building. The project PC1 of Rs 100 million was approved in 2015 and Rs 64 million has been allocated for the current fiscal year. The meeting was informed that so far six meetings of the National Curriculum Council have been held in the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. All the federating units have been participating in the meetings of the NCC. He said the NCC will serve as a professional, advisory and consultative national body which will steer and guide the development of curricula in close collaboration with all the federating units to ensure minimum quality standards from early child hood education to Grade-12.
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