English, Islamic studies compulsory in Pakistan schools

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From new.Kerala.com


English, Islamic studies compulsory in Pakistan schools

Islamabad: English language would be made compulsory from Class 1 and
Islamic studies from Class 3 in all Pakistani schools. Federal Education
Minister Javed Ashraf Qazi said Urdu would also be taught as a compulsory
subject at English medium schools with the addition of another chapter on
Huqooq-al-Ibad (rights of humanity), the Daily Times said. The education
minister rejected criticism regarding the deletion of certain Quranic
verses from the Islamic studies curriculum.

Briefing reporters on the two-day National Educational Conference,
scheduled to start May 30, Qazi said the new policy would bring uniformity
to the country's education system. The Musharraf regime's programme to get
madrassas to teach subjects other than Islamic theology has met with
resistance from the Muslim clergy. But he has frequently impressed upon
the need for learning modern subjects. Qazi said mathematics and science
would be taught in seminaries as well.

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