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Professor Anjum Paul briefs about Pakistan Minorities Teachers’
Association (PMTA) in an interview with Pakistan Christian Post
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 http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com
February
13,2013
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Pakistan Minorities Teachers’
Association (PMTA) was established on August 28, 2005 by Professor Anjum
James Paul. PMTA is constantly struggling with a dream to make Pakistan a
role model state where people of religious minorities will one day live as a part
of Pakistani nation and where they will not be judged by their faiths but by
the content of equality. This was said by Professor Anjum James Paul while
interviewing to Pakistan Christian Post. He further said that PMTA feels
pleasure to share its role and achievements and expects more positive changes
in the near future. Though it is a way to Calvary but we know that way to
Calvary is a way to victory. The achievements are the results of our
reservations and recommendations that have been brought to the notice of the
esteemed offices of the Government of Pakistan through correspondence,
raising voice through electronic and print media, the support of minorities
politicians ,religious leaders of the minorities and the civil society. He
continued saying, ‘though much has to be achieved yet but we are hopeful that
we shall surely be able to achieve our destination someday’. Professor Anjum
James Paul continued saying, “We shall carry on our unending efforts to
abolish all sorts of discrimination from the Pakistani educational system and
to make this land according to the vision of its founder Quaid-i- Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah that he presented in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
on August 11, 1947.” In another question he expressed 20 achievements of Pakistan
Minorities Teachers’ Association which are;
1. Educationists and religious scholars from minorities have been invited to develop the curriculum in the subject of Ethics. It is a state of sorry that they were not so much expert in the curriculum development and the religion. I would like to quote here only one example that due to their negligence the sacrifice of the eldest son of Abraham has been included in the curriculum of Ethics for grade 3. Unluckily they were invited without the consent of PMTA. 2. Educationists are now part of the textbook developing. In the province of Punjab where more than 60 per cent population resides, they are being invited as the members of the Provincial Review Committees, Textbook Review Committees and the Technical Evaluation Committees not only in the subject of Ethics but the social sciences as well. Professor Anjum James Paul, Chairman PMTA has been the Convener of the Subject Wise Textbook Evaluation Committee in the subject of Social Science while Professor Daniel Yousaf has been one of the authors of the Physics Practical Notebook for grade 9 published by the Punjab Textbook Board Lahore
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3. Topics on human rights, peace, tolerance, co-existence, forgiveness, patience, service to humanity have been included in the upcoming textbooks. 4. The role of religious minorities in the creation and construction of Pakistan has been included in the forthcoming textbooks. 5. For the first time in the history of Pakistan curriculum in the subject of Ethics (Compulsory) has been developed for the students of religious minorities of Pakistan. We strongly condemn the subject of Ethics as there is discrimination with the students of minorities because this is the violation of their fundamental rights but something is better than nothing. Now the students of minorities will somehow learn something about their religion/religions instead of knowing nothing. The textbooks are now under the process and some are already available in the market. 6. Islamyat is compulsory subject for the Muslim student only which was compulsory for all the students before but was optional from class X –XII only for the students of minorities. 7. The subject of Arabic is no more a compulsory subject but an optional one. This was a compulsory subject for all the students from class I-VIII for the students belonging to all religions. 8. Students of religious minorities are appearing in the subject of Ethics class since 2008.
9. Academic staff from the
religious minorities has been somehow invited to set the paper of Civics (for
non-Muslims). Prof. Anjum James Paul has set the paper of Civics (for
non-Muslims) for the Intermediate Part I for the Board of Intermediate and
Secondary Education Faisalabad in the year 2007-09
10. The Government of the Punjab had to reverse her order and the Non-Muslim Educators were exempted of compulsory training of Qirat (recitation) of Holy Quran on August 12, 2009. 11. Mr. Muhammad Latif Khosa, the Governor of Punjab, being the chancellor of the universities of Punjab directed all the Vice Chancellors of the Public Sector Universities to provide the facility of drinking water in the universities examinations centres during the month of Ramadan on the demand of the PMTA on August 4, 2012. 12. According to the National Educational Policy 2009, provisions shall be made for teaching of the subject of Ethics/ Moral Education in lieu of Islamiyat to non-Muslim children and subject specific teachers shall be appointed according to the requirements. 13. The word “Masih”, “Masihi” or “Masihyiat” is being used now in most of the electronic and print media instead of “Esa”, “Esai” or “Esayiat” for Jesus Christ, Christian/s or Christianity. 14. On the request of PMTA, Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad relaxed a one day off to the Christian students in the MA/ M.Ed workshop throughout Pakistan on the Easter Day on April, 12, 2009. 15. There are pictures of the church, temple and Gurdowara besides mosques and related information in the subject of General Knowledge grade I which is really a great change. 16. First it was written that Pakistan is the land of Muslims but now it is written that Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Parsees live in Pakistan in the textbook of General Knowledge grade I which is really another great change 17. Biased message of the President of Pakistan General (R) Pervez Musharraf has been totally removed from all the textbooks in which he had invited the attention of only Muslim students to acquire knowledge as he said, “The progress and development of a country depends on the quality of education of its people. It is a historical fact that the Muslims ruled the world for hundred of years on the basis of the knowledge acquired by their intellectuals, philosophers and scientists .The books written by them were of such a high standard that they served as reference books in the western universities for centuries. As long as the Muslims acted upon the Hadith, "to acquire knowledge is the duty of each Muslim male and female.” they ruled the world. Reference English Step 5, Code No. XLIV/AD, Edition Ist, Impression 19th.This message was on each and every textbook. 18. Biased part of the appeal of the Chairman Punjab Textbook Board, Lahore has been deleted “Punjab Textbook Board is your own organization and has the mandate of providing high quality but less expensive books, with the approval of Federal Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan in accordance with national curricula. These books project Islamic values, defend ideological boundaries of the country and help acquaintance with other fields of life.” Reference. English Step 5, Code No. XLIV/AD, Edition Ist, Impression 19th. This appeal is published on each and every book published by the Textbook Board, Lahore. 19. A White Paper on Education in Pakistan was published in September 2007. This is a document to debate religious bias, general standard of textbooks and education policies in Pakistan. There is research on 51 textbooks in the subjects of Civics, English, Ethics, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies, Social Studies and Urdu from grade I-XII. 20. A Review on Textbooks and National Curriculum Recommended by the Ministry of Education was published in June 2010. |
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Professor Anjum Paul briefs about Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA) in an interview with Pakistan Christian Post
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
SELECTION OF AUTHORS AND REVIEWERS FROM THE MINORITIES’ FOR THE TEXTBOOKS
Ref.3-pmta/13 Dated:
07-01-2013
The
Prof. Dr. M. Ashraf Mirza
Director (Curriculum Wing)
Punjab Textbook Board
Lahore
Subject: SELECTION OF AUTHORS AND REVIEWERS FROM
THE MINORITIES’ FOR THE TEXTBOOKS.
Hounourable Sir,
Greetings
and well wishes from the Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA).
First of all I would like to appreciate the
management of the Punjab Textbook Board Lahore that has invited the
representatives from the religious minorities to review the textbooks in the
subject of Ethics. This is a healthy symbol to create interfaith harmony in the
students belonging to minorities.
PMTA mailed a letter to the former Director Curriculum Wing Mr. Chiragh Din Arif
on November 21, 2008, Ref. No. 141-pmta/08 on the subject “Recommendations and
the report on the White Paper” It was demanded in that letter that the
textbooks in the subject of Ethics must be developed by the educationists from
the minorities. Though measures have not been taken on our demand but our
request for the reviewers been heard.
PMTA is the representative of all minority
educationists whether serving in the public or private sector. So, we request
you to kindly keep in touch on all the issues related to minorities’ for the
textbooks. It is further requested that the selection of the authors and
reviewers on the minority issues must be with the consent of PMTA as PMTA can
be the best source to provide you the authors and reviewers from the minorities.
With best regards.
PROF. ANJUM JAMES PAUL
CHAIRMAN
Copy to:
Mr.
Saleem Kiyani, Chairman, Punjab Curriculum Authority, Lahore
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Photo Gallery
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Professor Anjum James Paul
is receiving Peace Award 2007 from Mr. Peter Andreas
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| L to R Professor Asim Butt and Professor Anjum James Paul at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore, January 2013. |
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Professor Anjum James Paul
explaining report of PMTA to Mr.Bryan D.Hunt
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Professor Anjum James Paul presenting White Paper to
Mr. Peter Andreas
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Professor Anjum
James Paul started his schooling from St. Judes Primary School Rangpur
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Professor Anjum James Paul
presenting White Paper to Miss Nikky
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L to R Manferred and Anjum
James Paul
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L to R Mr.M.Fayyaz,Mr.Basharat Ahmed Khan , Mr. Nujahid &
Father Moris Jalal
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L to R Prof.Samuel Akhtar,
Prof.Anjum James Paul
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Professor Anjum James Paul
presenting White Paper to Dr. Munawar Chand
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Master Samuel Pervez and Prof.Anjum James Paul presenting
White Paper to Father Ayub Francis
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Meeting with the teachers
in Lahore
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Late Master James Paul
Ernest
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| Professor Anjum James Paul with the Participants of Consultation on Education |
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Meeting with the teachers
in Lahore
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Meeting with the teachers
in Lahore
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Participants of the Peace
Award ceremony
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Peace Award to Anjum James
Paul
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Prof. Anjum James
Paul,presenting paper on Role of textbooks in promoting Interfaith Harmony in
Lahore
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Prof. Anjum James Paul is having meeting with the teachers
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Meeting with the teachers
in Lahore
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Prof. Anjum James Paul presenting White Paper to
Rev.Fr.Bashir Francis
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Rev.Fr.Bashir Francis
and Rev.Fr.Ayub Francis studying the White Paper
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Rev. Fr .Aftab James Paul,
Chaplain of PMTA
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Professor Anjum James Paul
explaining report of PMTA to Mr.Bryan D.Hunt
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| At Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul and Father Nadeem Francis OFM Cap |
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| Celine Maria my beloved Mom and teacher |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul and Professor Dr. Muhammad Tufail at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L to R Muhammad Usman, Gule Zahra, Muhammad Anwar, Professor Anjum James Paul and Professor Ghulam Muhammad Nagra at GCU Faisalabad |
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| L to R Ms. Fahmida Saleem,Professor Anjum James Paul and Ms. Romana Bashir |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul and Dr. Muhammad Sohail Sarwar at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul and Kazi Javaid |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul and Major General (Pak army)Mr. Noel Israel Khokar |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul, Right Reverend Bishop John Samuel and Dr. Albert Sahotra |
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| L to R Father Anjum Nazir, Professor Anjum James Paul and Father Zafar Iqbal |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul, Professor Mehr Sarfraz Dub and Professor Faheem Shah |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul and Mr. Muhammad Shafique |
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| L to R Mr. Ali Gohar, Mr. Kazi Javed and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Mr. Muhammad Asif Jahangir Senior Headmaster and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul and Dr. Paul Bhatti, Advisor to Prime Minister |
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| L to R Right Reverend Bishop Joseph Coutts and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Dr. Albert Sahotra and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Father Javed Younas and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul and Dr. Munwar Chand at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul and Professor Kalyan Singh Kalyan at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L to R Dr. Shobha Das and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L To R Professor Kalyan Singh , Mr. Saleem Kiyan ,Chairman Punjab Curriculum Authority and Professor Anjum James Paul at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L To R Dr. Zulifqar Ali, Dr. Munwar Chand, Professor Dr. Ghulam Ali Khan, Professor Dr. Muhammad Tufail,Professor Anjum James Paul and Professor Kalyan Singh Kalyan at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul,Mr. Ahmad Saleem, Mr. Peter Jacob and Nabila Feroze |
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| L To R Professor Anjum James Paul , Professor Dr. Muhammad TufailL , Professor Dr. Ghulam Ali Khan and Professor Kalyan Singh Kalyan at Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul and Mehr Safdar Waleed from Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L to R Dr. Muhammad Fiaz Deputy Director Punjab Textbook Board Lahore and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul and Dr. Zulifqar Ali from Punjab Textbook Board Lahore |
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| L to R Professor Anjum James Paul and Professor Dr. Mehdi Hassan |
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| L to R Mr. Yousaf Masih Gul, Director Admin, Secondary Education, DPI Punjab and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Mr. Muhammad Khalid Nawaz Arbi, Deputy Director and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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| L to R Dr. A. H. Nayyer and Professor Anjum James Paul |
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