PESHAWAR, May 20: NWFP Education Minister Fazale Ali has denied that a task force is bringing any specific changes in the present structure of the education department.

Speaking to reporters at the press club during the ‘Guest Hour’ programme on Tuesday, he dispelled the impression that the task force, which he headed, had become a parallel authority to the education department. The members of task force were aware about their limited task, he added.

He said the task force had been asked to identify shortcomings in the present education system and make recommendations. The force had started compiling its recommendations, which would be discussed and finalized at the relevant forum for implementation, he added.

The minister said that the task force had nothing to do with the transfer and posting of teachers, examination system and the curriculum as appeared in some newspapers. The task force was mere an advisory body as its members were not drawing any financial assistance from the government, he added.

He said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government wanted to bring some positive changes in the class-oriented education system.

The education minister said that the colonial masters had introduced the present system to enslave the Indians to fulfil their administrative needs. The government wanted to free the education system from the undertones set by the British masters, he added.

The liberal forces, which were afraid of the welfare-oriented agenda, had presumed that the MMA was a negative social force and its all policies were retrogressive, he added.

He said the MMA wanted to give a last blow to the exploitative system which had created a class-based society in the country.

The MMA was opposed to discrimination and segregation in all walks of life and wanted to bring a positive uniformity in the system, he added.

The teachers, he said, held a central position in the education system, but in NWFP they were untrained and unaware of modern teaching skills. Most of the middle and primary schools were in worst conditions as they were short of the required staff, he added.

The government, he said, had provided a relief to the poor students by writing off their admission and tuition fees up to the matriculation level. The uniformed dress for the students should not be dubbed an anti-modern step instead it was a policy to help the poor students who could not afford expensive uniform, he observed.

The minister, who visited the United Kingdom last month, said the students and teachers in UK were enjoying all sorts of basic facilities at the schools, colleges and universities.

To a question, the minister said he was personally against all sort of campus politics.