Faisalabad: Pakistan Minority Teachers Association PMTA Chair Professor Anjum James Paul have written an Open Letter to Dr. Murad Ras, Minister for Education, Government of Punjab, Pakistan, requesting to avoid discrimination and treat equally minority and humanities group students in the accelerated learning programme for secondary students.

Here with is letter:

Ref.No.PMTA/35-38/20-KPR                                                    Dated: September 10, 2020

Dr. Murad Ras

Minister for Schools Education Department

Govt. of the Punjab

Lahore

Subject: -      REQUEST TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION AND TREAT EQUALLY MINORITY & HUMANITIES GROUP STUDENTS IN THE ACCLERATED LEARNING PROGRAMME FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS

Your Excellency,

Greetings and peace from Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA).

PMTA would like to draw your kind attention on the subject cited above.

Sir, Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association appreciates the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) of Punjab Curriculum And Textbook Board but unfortunately it has failed to treat equally the religious minority students as well as humanities group students. There are more than 25 subjects and giving importance to only the compulsory and science subjects is discrimination and violation of article 25 (1) of the constitution of Pakistan 1973 which guarantees equality without discrimination.  The discriminatory act of PCTB has promoted sense of inferiority complex in the ignored students and particularly the religious minority students because ‘Islamiyat’ has become part of ALP but not ‘Ethics’.

Sir, it is requested you to kindly include all the remaining subjects in the Accelerated Learning Programme so that all the students may be beneficiaries of ALP without discrimination.

With best regards

PROF. ANJUM JAMES PAUL

CHAIRMAN

Copy to:

i.              Chief Minister Punjab, Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Lahore

ii.            Minister for Human Rights & Minorities Affairs, Govt. of the Punjab, Lahore

iii.           Secretary Schools Education Department, Govt. of the Punjab

PMTA is making efforts since 2004 for education reforms through advocacy, lobbying and analyses on the textbooks of Pakistan to promote diversity and peaceful coexistence through the Pakistani education system.. Pakistani religious minorities are not enjoying fully constitutionally their civil and political rights and they are  facing challenges of equal citizenship, equal rights and equal opportunities. Due to religious persecution lives, beliefs, families and properties of religious minorities are always at risk. Pakistani public sector education system  promotes violence, intolerance, hatred and extremism through the language and images of the textbooks against non-Islamic religions, non-Muslims  and non-Islamic Civilizations. Thus Pakistani religious minorities become the direct target of the intolerance and extremism that Pakistani education system promotes.