On Wednesday, the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Trainings, Shafqat Mahmood, took to Twitter to clarify the confusion regarding the Single National Curriculum (SNC). He announced that private schools will not be prohibited from teaching any additional material or subjects under the Single National Curriculum.
The Federal Minister explained that the Single National Curriculum only provides a basic learning standard and in no way restricts schools from teaching additional material. Private schools are also allowed to use books that go hand in hand with the National Curriculum Policy, he explained further.
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He tweeted, “This is to clarify some issues related to the Single National Curriculum. SNC prescribes minimum learning standards i.e the core curriculum. Schools are free to teach any additional material or even additional subjects. 2nd. Private schools can use any book that is consistent with SNC.”
This is to clarify some issues re Single National Curriculum. SNC prescribes minimum learning standards i.e the core curriculum. Schools are free to teach any additional material or even additional subjects. 2nd. Private schools can use any book that is consistent with SNC
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) February 10, 2021
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Prior to this development, the Federal Minster gave directives to conduct a thorough consultation on the National Education Policy 2021. He asked all the relevant officials in the education sector to be involved in the consultations while chairing a meeting of the Ministry of Education.
Experts seem to believe that this decision has been made under the influence of the education mafia in the country, even though the private schools have not expressed any disagreements regarding the decision.
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An expert on the issue voiced their opinion by stating that the decision has only been made to conceal the ministry’s failure regarding the National Curriculum Policy, and it is doing damage control by giving a green light to the private schools to teach books and subjects of their choice.
They said “When you are allowing private schools to use any book consistent with NSC you are actually creating a basis for the failure of the new system. Moreover, it also shows that you are giving in to pressure asserted by the cluster of education mafia. Govt lacks the capacity to implement it,”
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