KARACHI, Sept 1: Federal Minister for Education Lt-Gen (r) Javed Ashraf Kazi has opposed the idea of raising the status of the Sindh Madressatul Islam (SMI) School to university, saying that it would require a lot of resources in addition to other obligations.

He was speaking as chief guest at a ceremony held to mark the 121st foundation day of the SMI School on Thursday. The ceremony was attended by senior civil and military officials, noted educationists, diplomats and others.

Gen Kazi advised the SMI management to focus on the original charter of the institution and try to make it an exemplary centre of education which could cater to the needs of both rural and urban population.

He said that the SMI, at present, had neither an adequate nor a qualified faculty; nor did it have sufficient space to house the entire range of departments to match the other universities of high standards. “It would be in the fitness of things that you try to improve the quality of education at the madressah, while federal government would continue to support it in all ways,” he remarked.

The minister, who is also the controlling authority of the SMI, which has played a pivotal role in training and education of Muslims and provided leadership to them, said that if the Sindh government wanted to look after the institution, the federal government would have no objection.

Gen Kazi pointed out that the government had already decided to merge class IX and X examination from 2007, while the matter regarding merger of class XI and XII examinations would be considered in the next meeting of the provincial education ministers scheduled to be held in November in Karachi.

Referring to curriculum, he said that it was being revised and improved to eliminate distortion of facts and controversial matters which had been a source of discord rather than a reason for national coherence. However, he asserted that changes in curricula and syllabus were aimed at meeting national requirements, and were not being made under any foreign pressure.

He criticized certain religious schools of thought who were opposing the process of change, and accused them of interfering in the matter unnecessarily. “It is unfortunate that those who had been opposing the creation of Pakistan and the Quaid-i-Azam in the past are now claiming to be Thekedar of Pakistan and Islam,” he remarked, and maintained that changes in educational curricula was needed for reducing the ethnic, linguistic, sectarian and provincial biases dividing the people of Pakistan.

The minister said that the government had also decided to implement co-education at primary level with women teachers imparting education at the schools. “We have discussed the idea with tribal leaders as well and they had expressed their readiness to accept the same.”

Before the speech session, the federal minister, along with Commander Corps 5 Lt-Gen Syed Athar Ali and Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro, cut a cake to mark the foundation day. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, Chairman Sindh Public Service Commission, Hassan Bhutto and Sindh Ombudsman Yousuf Jamal were also present on the occasion.

Dr Khuhro said that SMI had always produced prestigious personalities and the Sindh government realized that it had been playing its due role in attracting students from all over the country.

The provincial government would extend its full cooperation to the SMI in its development, she declared.

Principal Mohammad Ali Shaikh traced the history of the madressah and maintained that it was created by moderate Muslims to impart modern education to the Muslims of Sindh and in its 120 years, it had fulfilled its obligation very well.

He suggested that the shops built within the vicinity of the madressah be handed over to it and the three buildings which were under the control of the SM Science College also be given to the SMI so that these could be restored as hostels.

Many students of the madressah, including Zoya Sindhu, Sapna Kumari, Maria Kanwal, Sunil Kumar, Ali Shah, Naveed Akhtar, Nasir Haroon, Wahaj Iqbal and Anil Kumar, received merit awards from the Sindh education minister for securing best marks.

Gen Ashraf Kazi presented performance awards to some of the SMI teachers who included Anwar Abro, Rajab Ali Mallah, Afshan Bano, Naimat Waqasi, Syed Wajid Ali, Shabana Karim, Massoom Shah and Shah Mohammad Memon.