I WAS stunned to find that the Sindh Textbook Board has prescribed the same textbooks and grammar course for English-medium students as well as for Urdu-medium ones in matriculation.

There is a world of difference in the teaching and upbringing of Urdu-medium and English-medium students right from KG onwards. Urdu-medium students find great difficulty in following this course. How come the board does not realise this?

I have studied in Urdu-medium institutions from Class I to BSc and BE.

The board those days prescribed a simple English textbook for matriculation students and higher standard books were used for Intermediate and higher classes to make up for the deficiency.

Many students discontinue their studies after matriculation and start working to earn a living. I propose that an elective subject like Advanced English should be introduced in matriculation for those students who want to compete with English-medium ones.

Please do not punish those students who somehow aspire to complete their matriculation and then start doing some technical course.

S. MUSLEHUDDIN AHMED Karachi