A. Mohmand
The Private Schools Regulatory Authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has issued a directive to all private schools in the province, instructing them to include Pashto and regional languages as compulsory subjects in their curriculum.
The regulatory authority conveyed this decision to private schools through a formal letter, emphasizing the immediate implementation of Pashto and regional languages as mandatory subjects.
This move stems from a historical decision made by the provincial cabinet on January 30, 2012, which mandated the inclusion of Pashto and regional languages as compulsory subjects in schools. Additionally, the Peshawar High Court has issued orders for the implementation of this cabinet decision.
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When approached for a response to this directive, Fazlullah Daudzai, the Provincial Senior Vice President of the Private Education Network, expressed his support for the decision. He highlighted the importance of teaching national and regional languages, as recognized by the United Nations. Daudzai emphasized the significance of regional languages, particularly Pashto, as a part of the cultural heritage.
However, Daudzai also raised concerns about the practical implementation of this decision. He pointed out that the existing education curriculum includes instruction in both Urdu and English, making it challenging to introduce Pashto as an additional subject without adequately training teachers.
Daudzai further suggested that the entire education system and curriculum should align with the language of the neighboring country, Afghanistan. He noted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is linguistically diverse, with various regional accents and linguistic preferences among its residents. Adding Pashto as a compulsory subject could pose a burden on students.
He also questioned the timing of the decision, as implementing it midway through the academic session could disrupt the students' learning process. With a shorter academic year in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to frequent holidays, adjusting the curriculum to accommodate Pashto instruction might present logistical challenges.
The directive underscores the importance of teaching and preserving regional languages, but practical challenges and considerations about the curriculum's alignment with the linguistic diversity of the province remain prominent concerns for educators and private schools.
