GILGIT-BALTISTAN does not have its own textbook board and uses books prescribed by the Punjab textbook board in itst schools. The lessons taught in these on history, geography, agriculture, culture and a lot more themes are of an urban background, which are mostly irrelevant to our children as this region still remains mostly rural.

The Karakorum International University of GB has done a commendable research work and published articles on various topics of indigenous interest but this is limited.

Besides, there are books pertaining to the region published by local and foreign authors but the economically under-privileged children do not possess the means to access such input.

The GB administration has taken an initiative to preserve local dialects of the region and to make them part of the curriculum as an optional subject.

Since education is a provincial subject, the GB authorities should go a step further and introduce comprehensive information about the region’s history, agriculture, culture, geography, fauna and wildlife, and festivals as part of the curriculum. The rural and remote communities should have their own local curriculum aligned with the national curriculum with the collaboration of educationists and curriculum experts.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is to pass through the region. This has potential to create employment and business opportunities. To avail them it is important that the human resources equipped with technical and professional skills be developed for which a modern curriculum should be in vogue in all GB schools.

Karim Mohammad Khan

Gilgit-Baltistan

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2018