Unveiling the Facts of Compulsory Religious Education in Pakistan

Unveiling the Facts of Compulsory Religious Education in Pakistan

Pakistan is among few countries where governments ensure compulsory
religious education for its messes with the tax money in public
educational institutions. The state collects tax money from its citizens
from Muslims and non-Muslims. The government directs privately owned
institutions to follow the same policy and curriculum of religious
education. According to 1998 census, Muslims are 95 percent of the total
population and non-Muslims are made up 5 percent. Among the non-Muslims,
Hindus are in big number in Sindh and Christians in Punjab.

For decades Islamic education (called Islamiyat Compulsory) had been
taught to Muslims and non-Muslims. However, the subject of Ethics was
introduced for non-Muslims for the last decade. The government has given
the option to students belongs to religious minorities to take Ethics
from grade one to fourteen. However there is no curriculum for grade one
to eight. Neither book nor any trained teachers to teach the subject.
The details are given below.

For grade one to five. No books and staff is available alternate to
Islamic education for students of religious minorities. When grade five
exams are conducted. Half chapters of social studies book are declared
Ethics. From grade six to eight the case is similar.

For grade nine & ten, Jamshoro University, Sindh developed the
curriculum of Ethics. The Punjab textbook board approved that curriculum
for its non-Muslim students of the province but never ensured the
availability of books in the market. Nor special trained teachers were
assigned to teach the subject.

The subject of Ethics for the students belongs to religious minorities
from class one to ten makes it hard to study when the books are not
easily available in the markets despite Lahore markets in few shops. The
subject creates miseries for the students. One, lack of books and
secondly lack of trained teachers. The students who have to study the
Ethics or religious education from Class one to ten, like from one to
eight grades no curriculum is there from the government or schools. When
a child gets admission in grade nine, he/she is given a subject for whom
they do not have basic knowledge in their previous classes. Thus it
becomes difficult for them to understand and learn about the subject
alternate to Islamic education.

Taking subject of Ethics and struggling for the book for months caused
more vulnerability for the students. It creates frustration and
depression for the students. The same case is with the students
studying in colleges for Intermediate and Bachelors Degree programs.

Another question arises; Ethics is definitely not the alternate subject
of Islamic Education. For instance, Islamic education is taught to
Muslims, for Christian students, its must be Christian education based
on Christian beliefs similarly for other religions.

It is strange no government has realized the need to ensure religious
education to the student belongs to other religion in Pakistan. The
governments have violated the fundamental rights of religious minorities
for not been able to arrange the religious education.

Since the educational reforms were introduced and free books are
distributed in government schools. Textbooks of other subjects are
printed in millions but no books of Ethics are distributed among the
students of religious minorities. The Punjab government does not have
the data of students to distribute the books. These books are sold in
the markets of Lahore only. Students from central & south Punjab are
helpless.

There have been no serious efforts made by the state and federal
governments to ensure religious education to minorities' students.
The government hired experts' years back to formulate curriculum for
Islamic education. These experts were paid high stipends and special
teachers for Islamic education were trained and appointed by the
governments. Everything was paid from the tax money to educate 95
percent population with Islamic Education. The government is appreciated
for such zeal to provide religious education for its citizens but
neglected the students belongs to religious minorities. The following
steps are proposed to government to ensure religious education for the
minorities' students.

* Establishment of National Commission for Religious Education for
Minorities. The Commission must be tasked to develop agreed curriculum
based on the beliefs of the minorities' religion. * State
governments should establish training centers at least one in each
province in the capital city where the teachers will be trained. *
Appointments must be ensured in schools for Religious education. *
National and state level Conferences must be organized for the
religious, social, political and educational experts of religious
minorities. The government can prepare a plan of action on the
recommendations of the minorities leaders. * The state governments
should collect the data of students belongs to religious minorities to
produce free books alternate to Islamic Education. * The state
governments should make sure each student has books until the new
curriculum is replaced to Ethics.

Interestingly the book of Ethics does not contain a single chapter about
the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ. The non Muslim students
appearing for the exams of board of Intermediate and secondary education
written clearly the Subject Ethics alternate to Islamic Education but it
has been noted each year many students are issued roll no slips with the
subject of Islamic education. When a student highlights the error of the
board, rather board apologize the student it rather directs the
complainant to reach board office and get the correction done. Students
who become victims have to pay the money for fare and have to gone
through a trauma like situation until the correction is made.

The similar case is with Allama Iqbal Open University. The students
appearing for intermediate and Bachelors degree programs take Ethics but
they are sent book of Islamic Education. It has been occurring
repeatedly. If a student complains he/she is directed to get the correct
book from the nearer regional offices. The error is committed by the
sections distribution of books or admission department but a student
belongs to minorities have to pay and suffer.

United States Commission on Religious Freedom (USCRF) has also mentioned
the miseries of minorities' students for the subject of religious
education in its recent report. USCRF has declared Pakistan, a Country
of Particular Concern.

You are requested to make this message known among people at large. Your
kind support may also enable us to organize different awareness and
support seeking programs for the policy makers.

In peace
Ashfaq Fateh
Doulos International-Pakistan