ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Tuesday formally took control of the Curriculum Wing, which was earlier part of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).

“Following the issuance of an offi cial notifi cation, today I made my fi rst visit to them Curriculum Wing. This wing will work to bring change in the curriculum at the national level,” State Minister Engineer Balighur Rehman told Dawn.

He said the ministry had a special plan for bringing reform in school curriculum.

“We have a special budget of Rs50 million for the Curriculum Wing and Curriculum Council. We will take provincial authorities on board before bringing changes to the school syllabi,” he said.

To a query about the prime minister’s directive to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for bringing changes to the national curriculum from primary to university level, the minister said the HEC would play an advisory role.

“The HEC, Curriculum Wing and provincial authorities will work together in accordance with the directive of the prime minister,” he said.

Before the passage of the 18th Constitutional 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.

The previous Pakistan People’s Party government formed the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to look after education at the national level.

Sources in the education ministry said senior offi cials in the ministry were trying to convince the government to put the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE) under their control.

Currently, both FDE, which is looking after the affairs of 423 educational institutions of federal capital, and NISTE are under the administrative control of CADD.

Published in Dawn December 3rd , 2014