ISLAMABAD: The National Curriculum Council (NCC) has moved a concept paper to the Ministry of Education for onward submission to the Prime Minister Office to include democratic values and importance of the Constitution in the school curriculum.

Official sources in the NCC told Dawn that following a directive from the federal government, the council had prepared a draft to highlight the importance of democracy and the Constitution in the school syllabus. Similarly, focus was also being paid to promote inter-faith harmony.

They said the draft had been sent to the education ministry for submission to the Prime Minister Office as the initiative had been taken up on the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

They said that after approval, the NCC and the Ministry of Education will launch the initiative on Pakistan Day (March 23).

In the draft paper, an effort has been made to teach students about their rights, values of democracy and Constitution. “Once approval is granted, we can go for publishing class-wise books on this important topic while teachers can also be provided supplementary materials,” said an official, adding that in December last year the NCC had launched an initiative through supplementary materials to highlight animal rights, which was now being taught in Islamabad’s schools.

Last week, Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms chief Salman Sufi also tweeted: “To demand your rights, it’s important to know your rights. Pleased to share that on direction of PM… Constitution of Pakistan will be taught in school curriculum starting from ICT region.”

He had added that Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain will officially launch the initiative on March 23.

Sources said that in 2014 the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif had directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to make changes to the curriculum at the primary, secondary, college and university levels for promoting democratic values. However, that directive was itself misdirected as HEC had nothing to do with the school education.

A senior official observed that the Constitution of 1973 was very comprehensive, but, unfortunately, it had faced many violations that resulted into the prevailing situation in the country such as poor economy, political polarisation, religious hatred, overstepping by many government institutions, family-centered and democracy-lacking political parties.

Similarly, the official said, Pakistan was a country which had more than 22 million out of school children while many children were malnourished and lacked medical facilities.

“If the government is moving towards highlighting the Constitution and democratic values that is an encouraging step. We need full implementation of the Constitution and promote true democracy under which a prime minister could be answerable to the common citizens. Such a system is the only way for the country’s progress,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023