News Desk |
The monthly interactive session of the Shura-e-Hamdard held on Saturday in Peshawar, primarily focused on the government’s responsibility to introduce and implement a uniform education system all across the country.
The topic under discussion titled, “The national unity and system of education”. It was attended by several intellectuals including Dr Salahuddin, Dost Muhammad Khan, Professor Dr Fakhr ul Islam, Dr Iqbal Khalil among others.
Shura-e-Hamdard Promoting Equal Education Opportunities for All
Shura-e-Hamdard’s Speaker, Dr Salahuddin who is also a writer, columnist, cultural activist, stated in the introductory remarks that, while the PTI-led government had been busy dealing with several political challenges since assumption of power, it has been ignoring sectors such as education from their policy discussion and planning.
The federal cabinet in May had successfully approved a uniform curriculum for all public and private education institutions including 30,000 madrassas in the country.
He further asserted that a reminder to Prime Minister Imran Khan would perhaps help him implement his promise made during the election campaigns about the uniform education system all across the country.
The guest speaker at the session, Professor Dr Dost Muhammad Khan, a former director of the Sheikh Zaid Islamic Centre, University of Peshawar was then invited to speak on the topic. Dr Khan shed light on the Quranic concept of “Millat”, that emphasized on the unity among Muslims worldwide.
He stated that due to the differences bred in the 20th century, Muslim scholars and students all around the world think differently from one another. Highlighting the challenges of an ever-divided Muslim community, Dr Khan asserted the need to introduce uniform education not just within the country, but for all of the Muslim world in order to strengthen unity amongst Muslim communities.
He further justified uniform education system by discussing the linguistic barriers in the country. He argued that since Pakistan was a homogenous and culturally diverse country, a uniform education system would encourage a single language medium for all students alike that will further benefit them in higher education.
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He also discussed his views on the growing confusion amongst young scholars, due to the differences in syllabi and teaching methodologies that are greatly causing an increasing lack of interest in education.
Shura-e-Hamdard- a Brief History
Shura-e-Hamdard, an initiative of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, was initially established as Sham-e-Hamdard by the founder of the Hamdard Foundation, Hakim Mohammed Said, as a forum for the propagation of intellectual discourse, debates and discussions.
The foundation is associated with Hamdard Laboratories Pakistan; the makers of the rose elixir concentrated syrup drink, Rooh Afzah. One of the most well-known and traditional house-hold drinks in the South Asian societies all over the world.
The foundation is an initiative as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility that concentrates its focus on issues pertinent to education, environment, health, leadership and philanthropy.
The uniform education policy has been a fundamental value of the founder of Pakistani Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who has questioned the education system for its classist structure countless times.
The Shura (council in English) has maintained its stance on the reconstruction of nation since its inception in 1961. For the purpose of breeding diverse ideas and discussion, the Shura conducts monthly lectures on a diverse array of topics pertinent to nation building in different cities of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The council has so far hosted prominent scholars, scientists, writers, historians, educationists, physicians, poets, culturists, lawyers, jurists and journalists from 1960 to 1994, first under the Sham-e-Hamdard and now Shura-e-Hamdard since 1995 for deliberations on topics important for the country’s development.
Government’s Efforts to Implement Uniform Education in the Country
The federal cabinet in May had successfully approved a uniform curriculum for all public and private education institutions including 30,000 madrassas in the country.
Following the cabinet approval meeting in Islamabad, the Special Assistant to PM for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan spoke to the press reporters that the approval came after a thorough deliberation on the need to implement uniformity in education system, which is also a vision of PM Imran Khan from a long time ago.
Read more: Hakim Saeed: Pakistan’s own “Scientist of the East”
Last year in October, Shafqat Mehmood, the Education Minister of the country, had been tasked with detailed research and recommendations formulation for the PM’s briefing. The uniform education policy has been a fundamental value of the founder of Pakistani Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who has questioned the education system for its classist structure countless times.
Being an avid believer of an egalitarian society, PM Khan has pledged to eliminate all barriers that restrict children from gaining equal access to education.