PESHAWAR: The elementary and secondary education department of Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has failed to ensure introduction of five regional languages as a compulsory subject in private schools in the province.
Pashto, Hindko, Seraiki, Kohar and Kohistani have been taught in government primary schools at the nursery level from the start of the ongoing academic year 10 months ago.
In 2012, the Awami National Party-led provincial government introduced these regional languages as compulsory subjects in all educational institutions up to the intermediate level.
Each of these languages was introduced in the areas where people speak them. The aim was to promote and preserve the languages.
Primers for the regional languages were introduced in nursery classes in government schools at the start of the current academic year.
“With the promotion of the current nursery classes’ students to the next grade, regional languages will have to be taught in the higher classes, up to the intermediate level,” said an official of the education department.
The official said after eight years, the students of the current nursery classes would reach grade 9 and they will have to appear in examinations for the secondary school certificate.
“What will the students of private schools do at that time if their schools don’t introduce regional languages as a compulsory subject,” he asked.
INTERNEWS
