ISLAMABAD, Sept 7: Federal Minister for Education Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Thursday said the revised educational curriculum, with emphasis on science and technology related contents, would be notified in 15 days.

He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the National Book Foundation’s readers’ club scheme.

The minister said education played a pivotal role in development and prosperity of a country and the revised curriculum, which had been prepared under the supervision of experts, would meet modern challenges to catch up with the developed countries.

“We have not deleted contents from Islamyiat, rather added to it. With specific focus on science and technology, computer as a subject will be taught from class-VI and English from class 1 onwards to meet the emerging requirements,” he observed.

He said the NBF’s readers club scheme should be sustained as it contributed much in calculating and promoting book reading habit among the youth.

Expressing concern over the decline of book reading habit among the youth, he asked the foundation to rise to the occasion by launching extensive marketing of its books.

He also suggested that membership contract, under the scheme, should be extended from one to three years and 50 percent discount limit on purchase of Rs2,000 to Rs30,000 be given to promote book reading culture.

The minister said book’s utility would never decline as it embodied knowledge and information in detail while the electronic media provided limited information.

Referring to the media role, the minister said it should show more responsibility and prefer national interest while reporting events and conflicts to strengthen national integrity and promote unity.

Managing director NBF Ghiasuddin said the scheme had 20,000 members and was functional in 47 cities of the country and Azad Kashmir.

He said proper arrangements had been made for persons applying for membership particularly old people, women and children to facilitate them.—APP