ISLAMABAD: The prime minister on Tuesday approved a summary to shift the curriculum wing from Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) to Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.

“This is a big development, because this means that the country now has a federal curriculum wing,” said Rafiq Tahir, the education ministry spokesman.

Mr Rafiq added that the official notification for shifting the curriculum wing is likely to be issued on Wednesday (today).

He said the proposed National Curriculum Council, which will be announced shortly, will supervise the National Curriculum Wing.

A senior official of the ministry, wishing not to be named, said now the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and curriculum wing have come under the same ministry, so it will be no issue for the ministry to bring changes to the national curriculum, in the light of prime minister’s recent directive.

Last month, the prime minister’s directive to HEC to bring changes to the national curriculum from school to university level, drew criticism from the academia. “There will be no such issue now, because, the HEC and the curriculum wing have come under the same ministry,” said a senior officer of the ministry. He said under the guideline of the HEC and education ministry, the curriculum wing will be given the task of bringing changes to the school curriculum.

Before the passage of the 18th Amendment the curriculum wing was part of the defunct federal education ministry, but after the amendment its control was given to CADD, which is mandated to look after education and health in the federal capital.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2014