ISLAMABAD, March 1: There has been no revision and review of the national curriculum for the last 18 years, therefore, a national council of curriculum will be set up to take up the issue , Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi told newsmen here on Tuesday.

"We are still teaching our children the same old syllabus, which has become obsolete now," the minister responded to a question. It may be mentioned here that school level curriculum is the federal government's responsibility and only after getting No Objection Certificate from the federal education ministry, the provincial textbook boards can print books.

Under the proposed NCC, curriculum will be regularly monitored and after every five years, there would be a comprehensive review of the national curriculum to make it sure that books are carrying updated lessons, the minister said. To another question, the minister said besides curriculum experts, teachers of all grades will be consulted in the future review of the curriculum.

"A primary level teacher can best suggest what types of lessons should be prepared for a certain level. Teachers' participation in the curriculum review will be made sure", he added.

When asked about the controversial questioner, which was circulated in some private schools of Karachi by Agha Khan Foundation, the minister accepted that it (questioner) did carry the questions, which were not accepted in the society.

He said it was World Health Organisation's project, under which students' view had been sought on sexual education. "When the issue was highlighted in the Senate, I personally wrote to the foundation and subsequently the questioner was withdrawn", the minister said.

However, religio-political parties, mixed this questioner with Agha Khan Examination Board, which had nothing to do with it, he said. About the statements made by the provincial education ministers of the Punjab and NWFP that they would not allow Agha Khan Examination Board in their provinces, Qazi said the board had been set up through an ordinance, which had also been given constitutional protection through the LFO.

Therefore, it hardly matters, if some provincial government agrees to this board or not. Similarly, this board is for private schools, therefore, the government educational institutions have nothing to do with it.

About setting up the countrywide national vocational and technical training institutions, the minister said: "We have asked the provincial governments to let us know the number of such institutions they want." The ministry has so far received response from NWFP and AJK governments and after receiving response from the rest of provinces, the plan will be unveiled.