NA body approves Compulsory Quran Education bill

National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Wednesday recommended an allocation of Rs 3205.039 million for 10 ongoing and seven new unapproved schemes of the ministry for the year 2017-18 under the Public Sector Development Programme. The committee also unanimously approved "The Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Bill, 2017" which says the Holy Quran will be taught to all students from grade 1 to 12.
The meeting of the committee was held here at the Parliament Lodges under the chair of MNA Dr Amirullah Marwat. The chairman of the committee said the passage of bill is a good step which would benefit the students from grade 1 to 12. He said that from class 1 to 5th, the Holy Quran will be taught with Nazra and from class 6th to 12, students will be taught the Holy Quran along with translation.
Minister of State Balighur Rehman thanked the chairman and members of the committee for approving the bill. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of the bill, saying that compulsory teaching of the Holy Quran in schools will help students better to understand the teachings of Islam. The minister said that it is demand of the people and need of the hour to introduce this bill. He also hoped that the Parliament would soon pass this bill.
The committee also recommended the allocation of Rs 3205.039 million for 10 ongoing and 7 new unapproved schemes of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for year 2017-18 under the Public Sector Development Programme. The committee discussed "The Apprenticeship Bill, 2017" (the government bill) and decided to discuss further it in the next meeting.
The committee members also recommended that adequate security should be provided to all the educational institutions across the country. The committee recommended that the budget for education should be increased by 3 percent of the total budget for year 2017-18. The chairman of the committee said that education is the real game changer and more funds should be spent on the education.
A case of harassment with a female staff of COMSATs Institute of Information Technology also came under discussion during the meeting and it directed the rector COMSATs to take strict action against the accused after fulfilment of legal requirements. The committee said it is unacceptable and such elements should be punished strictly to provide working environment to the female workers in educational institutions. The committee also stressed for improvement of educational curriculum. The minister of state informed the committee members that a number of schemes are in pipeline for the improvement of vocational and technical education system.