New book documents bias and stigmatisation in Pakistan’s education system
It is a well-known fact that Pakistan’s religious minorities face intolerance, religious discrimination, exclusion, and forced indoctrination in the country’s schools. This situation described in a newly published book entitled Quality Education Vs Fanatic Literacy.
According to Asia News, the book provides an analysis of school textbooks, curricula, and educational policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and the Federal Directorate of Education in Pakistan. The book’s launch included education experts and human rights activists, both Muslim and Christian, who contributed to the publication.
At the book launch event, Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Dean of the Department of Social Sciences and Education at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, stressed the need to introduce sensitivity, acceptance, and tolerance towards other religions in the school textbooks.
Shaikh pointed out that stereotypes and erroneous assessments of religious minorities are commonplace in the textbooks used in both public and private schools. According to Shaikh, minorities are often described in a derogatory manner or not at all.
Jacob expressed appreciation for all the contributors and called on the federal education authorities to take into consideration the issues presented in the book.
Source: persecution.org
