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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to make amendments in Urdu, English and Pakistan Studies curriculums for schools, colleges and universities after consulting and receiving approval from the provincial governments.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister House said the amendments shall include chapters aimed at promoting the necessity of constitutional democracy for Pakistan’s progress and identity and deepening the understanding of merits of the constitutional democratic process and pluralism in an international and national context.
The curriculum is also aimed at strengthening the knowledge base of students to comprehensively counter the common misunderstandings surrounding constitutional democracy and enhancing critical appreciation of modes of accountability within the constitutional process which include judicial oversight, media, freedom of speech, right to information and elections.
To achieve the desired objectives, the premier has directed the HEC to task and coordinate with academics, universities and text book publishers to develop a new curriculum within two months, and ensure its adaption by the federal and provincial governments from the next academic year.
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Comments (35) Closed
Oct 30, 2014 06:47pm
What is the use of new or old curriculum when the priority to the education does not exist in your government or any provincial governments!
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Oct 30, 2014 06:59pm
Useful initiative by the PM. He must also consider legislation to restore the HEC after 30 June 2015 when it is believed to become history as per proviso of 18th Constitutional Amendment. If HEC gets dissolved, whatever modest stride that was made in reforming the higher education sector shall come to a grinding halt. Look at Sindh where cronies of our" pious" President and people with most dubious credentials are being inducted to form what is termed as 'Sindh HEC'.
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Oct 30, 2014 07:13pm
Here comes another order from KING SHARIF.......
Change of curriculum requires significant input from all stakeholders and not a rush job for two months... At least that's how it works in western countries
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Oct 30, 2014 07:15pm
Another eye-wash sir, where is the example your leadership needs to set in providing justice, education, health care, honest governance. What recourse people have besides suffering in silence. This is where IK and Qadri sahib become the voice of common man, do not shun IK and Qadri sahib, embrace them, listen and act to what they are demanding. It is then that you will become a true leader in my eyes, until then its all eye-wash sir.
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Oct 30, 2014 07:21pm
The timeline is a bit unrealistic but this is a great idea to lay the foundation of a democratic society free from the so called third Umpire.
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Oct 30, 2014 07:25pm
What a joke. To achieve the desired objectives, the premier has directed the HEC to task and coordinate with academics, universities and text book publishers to develop a new curriculum within two months, and ensure its adaption by the federal and provincial governments from the next academic year.
Why in a such a hurry that you are asking the HEC to develop a new curriculum within a such a short period of time. The new generation whose future will depend upon this so called new curriculum requires not only much more time but lot of consideration to overcome the challenges of 21st century. Why did not Nawaz Shareef instructed the HEC at the srart of the academic year when the HEC had enough time to develop a new curriculum for the new generation of this poor nation. But unfortunately, the present government is half hearted efforts without planning shows the mind set of our present leadership.
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Oct 30, 2014 07:44pm
Even the change in academic curriculum is self-serving!!!
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Oct 30, 2014 07:49pm
Oh i c, need to educate youth what is real democracy? .. He should go to school too when this new curriculums launches
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Oct 30, 2014 07:53pm
Why is this coming from the PM? Don't we have Education minister?
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Oct 30, 2014 07:58pm
Will the new curriculum have any chapter on how NS, the so called champion of democracy, benefitted from Zia's rule
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Oct 30, 2014 08:05pm
The whole idea is that Nawaz wants to continue his fake democracy and shut up every body.
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Oct 30, 2014 08:10pm
I feel Nawaz govt is on its way out, so before they leave they are in a hurry to do some good deeds so they can reclaim votes in fresh elections.....
Revising curriculum takes time, it even involves to change mindset until and unless they just want to produce another similar version with tweaks here and there.
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Oct 30, 2014 08:17pm
What about Science and Maths? These are essential subjects to remain top priority and being focused by other countries as well.
Why do we want to amend subjects that may not provide correct history - and bring more confusion among kids...
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Oct 30, 2014 08:19pm
Another excellent step by Mian Sahib to save democracy...
Can't wait to read the chapter about how to get a stay order when vote verificaiton is required. Or how to best place containers to restrict right of assembly of protesters. Or how to kill protesters.
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Oct 30, 2014 08:22pm
What a joke by semi-literate Prime Minister to order for developing new curriculum for Pakistani students. He should have
directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to make amendments in Urdu, English, and Pakistan Studies curriculums for the students of schools, colleges, and universities after consulting and receiving approval from the federal and provincial governments (NOT alone from the provincial governments)
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Oct 30, 2014 08:26pm
Curriculum development is a continous process. Look at this person passing irrelevant and unsustainable orders.
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Oct 30, 2014 08:27pm
HEC purpose is the promotion of higher education and research. Why curriculum setting?
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Oct 30, 2014 08:34pm
Mr. Prime Minister, Pakistanis need instructions on how to respect all religions of the world. They also need to learn how to respect all people from all walks of life in Pakistan and people of all nations. Lessons in citizenship will also help. Also, what are the responsibilities and rights of each citizen.
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Oct 30, 2014 08:43pm
Include the chapter of NS and SS in the syllabus.
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Oct 30, 2014 09:16pm
This news only shows how much our rulers know and care about education, a new higher education curriculum in two months! who are we kidding? How about overnight?
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Oct 30, 2014 09:33pm
make ways for children to attend schools first. Lack of vision is the major problem with this leadership.
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Oct 30, 2014 09:42pm
What will the new textbooks say about sending in your thugs to smash up the Supreme Court when it's hearing cases against you? Constitutional or no?
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Oct 30, 2014 10:23pm
our PM responds to, when he is forced to.
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Oct 30, 2014 10:37pm
For God Sake, keep politics out of academic books!
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Oct 30, 2014 10:42pm
Look who is taking about the changes in academic curriculum? Did we ever see a book in the hand of NS or has referred a book in his talk? Did we ever see him making use of pen and paper for notes during or after his talk or speeches?
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Oct 31, 2014 12:03am
Is it an attempt at brainwashing our children?
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Oct 31, 2014 01:48am
When I read the headlines I was happy that he wants to improve the curriculum and standard of education. I thought this a great news. Then, alas, I clicked on the link only to find out that this move is for his own selfish needs.
Nawaz Sharif, you disappoint society holistically.
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Oct 31, 2014 02:14am
Nawaz is showing his nature as a dictator more and more as the days go on
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Oct 31, 2014 02:33am
HEC does not have the expertise to do any curriculum setting! They are all well paid (highly paid) bureaucrats managing higher education. In one of the interviews, the chairman admitted 45% of HEC budget (given by govt to manage universities) is for managing HEC. They might pay some liked one some hefty amount to do the job!
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Oct 31, 2014 02:46am
the government needs to educate citizen, including the ones commenting here, (1) not to judge others; (2) respects others and their opinions; (3) stay impartial; and (4) not to stereotype.
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Oct 31, 2014 04:03am
This should help in correcting the woefully inadequate knowledge among even educated Pakistanis of how the government works in a democratic country. Right now, people don't understand how democracy works and just keep following dictatorial leaders, which includes both Nawaz and Imran.
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Oct 31, 2014 04:38am
Where are the schools were this revised Curriculum will be taught? You and your team have no idea what they are doing, when will you stop thinking that the People are stupid and you guys are the only ones with brains.
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Oct 31, 2014 06:14am
HEC needs world class academic leadership.
Universities should be under Federal control!
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Oct 31, 2014 10:37am
Good move, but two months is not enough for such a big task. The PM should have started this at the grass root level where our curriculum produces religious extremists - primary, middle and secondary education. I hope they would now do away with distorted history of Pakistan as presented in our text books. Dair ayad durust ayad.
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Nov 01, 2014 08:23am
What about a chapter on electoral rigging? A bad move from an uneducated PM. It will create a precedent of overt political interference in curriculum change. Every new govt will want the curriculum changed to promote its own ideology and the curriculum will become a propaganda tool...
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