National Education Policy 2009

The government has omitted the whole chapter of Islamic education and other Islamic provisions from the draft National Education Policy 2009, awaiting the cabinet’s approval for implementation. The draft policy was to be considered by the federal cabinet in its Wednesday’s (April 09) meeting but the prime minister decided to take it up for consideration and approval in its next cabinet as most of the ministers had not read the draft policy.

Comparison between the National Education Policy 1999 and the draft National Education Policy 2009, which would be implemented for another decade, shows that the Chapter III of the 1999 policy that was precisely dedicated for Islamic education is simply excluded from the draft 2009 policy.

Following provisions of Chapter II, Aims and Objectives, of the National Education Policy 1999 have been omitted in the National Education Policy 2009:

The state shall endeavour:

i) to make the teachings of the Holy Qur’aan and Islamiat compulsory;
ii) to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language;
iii) to secure correct and exact printing and publishing of the Holy Qur’aan;
iv) to promote unity and the observance of the Islamic moral standards.

Chapter III of the National Education Policy 1999 which was dedicated to Islamic education, has been totally omitted in the National Education Policy 2009:

Chapter III of the National Education Policy 1999 conveyed that Pakistan is an Islamic ideological state so:

the education policy of the country should secure Islamic ideology,
Qur’aanic teachings,
teachings Sunnah of Prophet (SAWS)
and be spread.

The other provisions of the 1999 policy, which have been omitted in the draft 2009 plicy, discussed in detail how to educate the Muslims of Pakistan so that they could become practising Muslims and could live their lives in line with Qur’aan and Sunnah.
It also said that Pakistan is not a secular state so it’s education system must be focused in line with the teachings of Islam.
It reflected on how the students would be imparted the Qur’aanic education and also suggested a strategy for this.

The top amongst the 1999 policy objectives missing from the draft 2009 policy is:

The draft education policy 2009, having omitted all the above-mentioned clauses, merely includes one Islamic provision in its Chapter II, which reads:

the National Education Policy recognises the importance of Islamic values and adheres to the agreed principles in this regard. All policy interventions shall fall within the parameters identified in the Principles of Policy as laid down in Articles 29, 30, 33, 36, 37 and 40 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973. These include the need for Muslim children to be provided instructions in Islamiyat to enable them to develop themselves as good Muslims. Similarly, minorities should be provided with facilities to get education of their own religion.

to make the Qur’aanic principles and Islamic practices as an integral part of curricula so that the message of the Holy Qur’aan could be disseminated in the process of education as well as training.
to educate and train future generation of Pakistan as true practising Muslims, who will be able to enter the next millennium with courage, confidence, wisdom and tolerance.

The draft education policy 2009, having omitted all the above-mentioned clauses, merely includes one Islamic provision in its Chapter II, which reads:

the National Education Policy recognises the importance of Islamic values and adheres to the agreed principles in this regard. All policy interventions shall fall within the parameters identified in the Principles of Policy as laid down in Articles 29, 30, 33, 36, 37 and 40 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973. These include the need for Muslim children to be provided instructions in Islamiyat to enable them to develop themselves as good Muslims. Similarly, minorities should be provided with facilities to get education of their own religion.
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Courtesy:- the News

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