Ref. No.26-pmta/10 Dated: June15, 2010 Your Excellency The Federal Minister for Education Govt. of Pakistan Islamabad. Subject: Reservations and Recommendations on Textbooks and National Curriculum Recommended by the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan. Honourable Sir, Greetings and well wishes from Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA). PMTA would like to draw your kind attention on the subject cited above. Sir, it is so sorry that the Federal Ministry of Education (MoE) has failed to create the atmosphere of peace and harmony among the people of different faiths violating Article 22 of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973 that safeguards as to educational institutions in respect of religion, etc. (1) No person attending any educational institution shall be required to receive religious instruction or take part in any religious ceremony, or to attend religious worship, if such instruction, ceremony or worship relates to a religion other than his own. (2) In respect of any religious institution, there shall be no discrimination against any community in the granting of exemption or concession in relation to taxation. (3) Subject to law; (a) No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupil of that community or denomination in any educational institution maintained wholly by that community or denomination, and (b) No citizen shall be denied admission to any educational institution receiving aid from public revenues on the ground only to race, religion, caste or place of birth. (c) Nothing in this Article shall prevent any public authority from making provision for the advancement of any socially or educationally backward class of citizens. RESERVATIONS 1. All the National Educational Policies (NEP) including NEP 2009 has been only against the minorities and their religions. They have given importance to the majority religion of Pakistan which is obvious in chapter 4 ‘Islamic Education’. 2. Only the students of minorities have been deprived of their religions which is the violation of Article 26 (3) of UDHR that describes ‘Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.’ There is violation of Article 18, 26 and 27 of ICCPR and Article 14(1) of ICRC as the students of minorities are forcibly taught Islam to convert them. 3. There is preaching of a particular religious ideology in the educational institutions due to that students of minorities have to go through persecution. 4. There are controversial contents even in the recommended National Curriculum as there is comparison between and among religions which is the violation of the recommendations of UNESCO and the Guidelines for the material developers for the textbooks. There has been comparison of Islam with the other religions and negation of the minorities’ religions. 5. There is disinformation, disrespect and propagation against the other religions other than Islam in the textbooks of Pakistan. 6. Pakistani textbooks are representative of a particular religious ideology and its followers. 7. The material is being developed in the subject of ‘Ethics for non- Muslims’ for grades III-XII by the Muslims. PMTA has repeatedly conveyed reservations to the concerned corners but no heed has been paid and Muslim authors are developing material about the fundamental beliefs and personalities of the minorities’ religions. The belief of the material developers is just the opposite of the other beliefs. How will they justify truly without any bias writing about Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism. This is really a joke with these religions. This shows that only Muslims can write better than the religious scholars of these religions. This is indeed an insulting attitude of Ministry of Education with the followers of the minorities’ religions. 8. Minorities have played a vital role in the creation and construction of Pakistan. They have particularly played role in the fields of education, health, defense and social services. There role has been deliberately ignored considering them non- Pakistanis otherwise they are also the heroes of this sacred land who have sacrificed their lives for this land. The writers and poets from minorities are no more part of the curriculum now. It shows that Ministry of Education is not serious to create the atmosphere of interfaith harmony which is the utmost need of the time. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Ministry of Education must change her biased attitude and approach towards minorities. 2. There must be respect of all religions on the equal basis in the textbooks of Pakistan. 3. There must not be comparison between or among religions. 4. Textbooks must be developed according to the recommendations of UNESCO. 5. Teachings of any religion must be restricted only in the textbook which has been developed for the students of that particular religion. 6. Subject of ‘Ethics’ must be changed into ‘Religion’. 7. Contents in the subject of Ethics must be developed by followers of that particular religion. 8. Either there should be topics on general Ethics or values or students of minorities be exempted from the assembly so that they may be escaped from persecution. Best regards. PROF.ANJUM JAMES PAUL Chairman Copy to: Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad Note: A Review on Textbooks and National Curriculum Recommended by the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan attached herewith (Pages 29). -- Prof. Anjum James Paul Chairman Pakistan Minorities Teachers' Association (PMTA)