PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi on Friday said the province had witnessed terrorism and violence over the past 25 years, and now the time had come to lead children towards knowledge and a bright future.

He stated this while speaking at an event, where he launched Character Education Curriculum for the holistic character development of children, according to a statement issued from the chief minister’s secretariat.

Mr Afridi said while the world had advanced in science and technology, children in the region were still seeking peace, adding that it was the responsibility of the government to provide religious, scientific, and moral education to children.

Initially, the new curriculum would be introduced from March 1 in primary schools of Lower Chitral and would subsequently be expanded to other districts of the province.

Launches character education curriculum in schools

The curriculum would be taught to students from grades one to five and would be introduced in public and private schools as well as seminaries. The new curriculum includes special emphasis on the Seerah (life) of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), local culture, and social, psychological, and ethical dimensions.

The chief minister said that through this ethics syllabus, children would be made aware of Islamic, Pakhtun, and regional traditions as well as civic responsibilities.

He said that in the digital era, protection of values, culture, and traditions had become essential, and that the government did not want future generations to drift away from their identity and values.

The chief minister said the Seerah of the Holy Prophet was the best model for humanity to live by, and that success in this world and the hereafter lied in following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Mr Afridi announced that Artificial Intelligence would also be introduced in schools to promote modern scientific knowledge alongside Islamic values, adding that the message of selfhood (Khudi) of poet Allama Iqbal continued to guide them, and therefore the concept of Khudi would also be included in the Character Education Curriculum.

The chief minister said that instead of blindly following the West, Pakistan must promote national self-respect, because education and character building were essential to make the nation dignified and self-reliant.

The chief minister said the children of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be given pens, education, and a path of progress instead of guns.

Mr Afridi said decisions taken behind closed doors always harmed the nation and the country, whereas policies formulated through collective wisdom and in consultation with all stakeholders were effective and result-oriented.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2026