LAHORE: The Punjab government promises a uniform curriculum at least for primary schools in the province next year.

“A uniform curriculum for primary schools in the province will be introduced by March 2020,” Schools Education Minister Murad Raas told the Punjab Assembly here on Thursday. He was responding to a written question in the House.

He said the curriculum would also include a certain portion of religious teachings and that uniform syllabus for higher levels would be introduced in due course.

Replying to a query about existence of both English and Urdu mediums in state-run schools, he chided former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif for it saying the PML-N leader introduced English medium without making available teachers for the purpose.

He said English would be taught in primary schools as a language and other subjects would be taught in Urdu.

Irritated by criticism of his leadership, PML-N lawmaker Samiullah Khan asked why the PTI could not introduce a uniform curriculum during its five-year rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Minister tells PA English will be taught as language, other subjects in Urdu

He also pointed out that Mr Raas ‘desecrated’ the chair, being held by deputy speaker Dost Mazari, by saying to it while sitting in his own seat “to [ignore the opposition members’ talk and] move forward”.

Mr Khan said the minister attempted to dictate the chair through the remark.

This tempted a treasury member to point out that PML-N’s Waris Kallu too had desecrated the chair during last Monday’s proceedings by objecting to senior MPA Mian Shafi’s presiding over the session. The Monday’s issue thus resurfaced in the ensuing debate and led Mr Mazari to give, as acting speaker, his ruling on it.

Quoting Article 67 of the Constitution, the ruling said that the House shall have power to act notwithstanding any vacancy in the membership thereof, and any proceedings in the House shall not be invalid on the ground that some persons who were not entitled to do so sat, voted or otherwise took part in the proceedings.

It said that assumption of chair at the commencement of the sitting on Jan 7, 2019, by Mian Shafi Muhammad was absolutely in accordance with the rules and was further validated by the motion adopted by the House, and the entire proceedings on Jan 7 were valid and in accordance with law.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2019