ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday introduced a new curriculum as well as textbooks to promote quality education in the federal capital. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the chief guest at the ceremony, launched the 100/100/100 educational programme aimed at achieving hundred percent enrolment, retention and graduation of children in schools in Islamabad, and hoped that the initiative would be emulated by the provinces as well. Addressing the ceremony, the prime minister said the federal government has set high standards of education in the country by providing modern curriculum and quality education to the students. He said no country can progress unless it focuses on provision of quality education to its youth. He said the Islamabad Capital Territory would serve as a model for other provinces to raise their standards of education. The prime minister also called for setting up a national testing service so as to standardize the level of education being imparted by different educational boards across the country. He said at present it was difficult to judge the different standards being followed by the provinces and hoped the next government would take up this challenge. Earlier, the prime minister launched the new curriculum and text books for the federal schools. In the phase-1, books from Class 1-5 have been upgraded. In phase-2, books from class 6-8 will be upgraded while in the last phase books from class 9-12 would be improved and updated. He said that following the 18th constitutional amendment, education was now a provincial subject. He said the provinces have huge budgets and equally large responsibilities. He, however, pointed out they lacked the capacity that needs to be built. He was appreciative of the federal ministry of education for the initiative and said there was also the need for improving the training of the teachers to enhance the quality of education being imparted. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said at present the government was spending Rs 5000 on each student in the government schools and regretted that still the results were not satisfactory. He said on the contrary, the private schools were getting better results by spending far less money. He said the private sector was playing a lead role in all the provinces, particularly in Punjab. The prime minister said in his early days when he entered the politics, there were only a few graduates in the federal cabinet. However, today the things are different and there are PhDs, doctors, engineers and post-graduate degree holders and even madrassa qualified people both in the cabinet and the parliament. He said higher education provides new insights and vision for the people at the helm of affairs. The prime minister lauded the ministry of education for implementing the new curriculum in the federal capital. “The latest curriculum will prove to be an important milestone towards shifting the focus from cramming to promoting analytical skills and generating thought process amongst the students,” he said. The premier stated that Islamabad Capital Territory will be made a model for the provinces in the education sector and the process of updating and revising the curriculum will continue. The event was attended by Minister of Professional and Technical Training Engr Baligh Ur Rehman and Secretary Education Akbar Hussain Durrani. The 100/100/100 programme was first mentioned in the annual budget speech by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, who had said, “This is a national commitment that I make today to the children of Pakistan. We will educate you.” Published in Daily Times, May 22nd2018.