Letter published in the Daily Nation

The Daily Nation
http://nation.com.pk/
September 3, 2008

Minorities' recommendations
I would like to draw your attention to the following recommendations for the curriculum that were developed by the Pakistan Minorities Teachers' Association for the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan;
1. The curriculum must be value-based and there must not be any preaching of a particular ideology in textbooks.
2. Removal of all sorts of biases and discriminations against the religious minorities of Pakistan from the textbooks should be ensured. The government has itself admitted that there are biases in the present textbooks.
3. The award of 20 extra marks to students of Muslim faith for Nazra is discriminatory against students of other faiths and should be withdrawn.
4. Role of religious minorities in the creation of Pakistan should be included in textbooks as it was before the dictatorship of late General Zia-ul-Haq.
5. Religious studies for students of all faiths should be on offer. At present, only Islamic Studies are offered for the benefit of Muslim students.
6. Chapters on issues like social harmony, inter-religious harmony, tolerance, peace and human rights should be part of curriculum. -PROF ANJUM JAMES PAUL