KARACHI, Oct 18: In view of the growing concern over the introduction and implementation of Sindhi as a compulsory subject at the intermediate level, officials in the provincial education department have now been told not to be “proactive on the issue,” sources in the government said.

A source in the Sindh education department said that after reservations expressed by students and teachers, and political concerns as well, the authorities had decided not to stress for an immediate teaching of Sindhi Salees as a compulsory subject to Urdu-speaking students in class XI.

Now officials are working on other alternatives, which could be tried peacefully, without annoying the students and teachers and disturbing the “existing harmony” in the province, added the source.

To settle the issue once and for all, the officials intend to take back the decision of compulsory teaching of Salees Sindhi and Salees Urdu at the intermediate level, sources said.

The Sindh education department in September issued a notification which called for an immediate adoption of Sindhi Salees as a compulsory subject in Class XI. It also called for teaching Urdu Salees to Sindhi-speaking students with immediate effect. The government also announced that intermediate students in the future would have to appear in a 100 marks paper of Urdu in Class XII only, in contrary to the previous style of taking two papers of 100 marks each in class XI and XII.

However, students and parents expressed their displeasure over the decision. The officials in the educational boards and college managements in the public and private sectors also expressed apprehensions that it would not be technically possible for them to ensure a flawless teaching and examination of Sindhi Salees in the given infrastructure and timeframe.

Some political quarters and associations of professionals had also expressed reservations on the issue. Senior minister of Sindh, Sardar Ahmed, has also discussed the situation with the Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro, source said.

In the meantime, according to an official of the education department, the Sindh governor, who is reported to have earlier advised the education department in regard to the implementation of compulsory Sindhi teaching to Urdu-speaking students, now desires that the decision be given a second thought.

The Governor’s House has directed the education department to call a meeting of the chairmen of educational boards in the province and other concerned persons prior to the implementation of the government notification. The department has been told to examine the issue of Sindhi teaching, a requirement of the Sindh Language Act-1972, in length and suggest some viable measures, added the official.

Sensing the gravity of the situation and political requirements, the Sindh education minister has also held a couple of meetings with the high-ups of the department and it is likely that she would also call on the Sindh governor and chief minister to seek their guidance in the matter.

In the meantime officials are framing a set of recommendations for the perusal of the higher authorities.

It is likely that the authorities be asked to withhold the implementation of Sindhi Salees (compulsory) for the time being, while the students be encouraged to study Sindhi as an optional subject at the intermediate level.

To avert any complexity, it is likely that the ongoing teaching of Urdu (salees) as a compulsory subject in the case of Sindhi-speaking students would also be withheld, added the source.