The new Class VIII geography book published by the Punjab Textbook Board carries a map showing Pakistan as comprising six rather than four provinces - the two non-existent provinces being 'Saraikistan' and 'Hazara'. Who did it and why, so far is a mystery. What is known is that the draft of the book went through four levels of scrutiny before going into print, yet no one noticed the blunder until one of the authors saw it and brought it to the notice of the Board through a letter earlier this month. Whosoever is responsible committed two offenses: one of misinforming the students; and the other of treading into sensitive political territory. To give the person(s) the benefit of doubt, it is possible that the text mentioned that there are demands for two new provinces, and hence thought it right to identify those areas in the map. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif though wouldn't want to hear any of it; he reacted furiously.
While presiding over a special meeting on the issue, he underscored the obvious lapse saying the concerned department had not fulfilled its responsibility which is why the mistake of printing wrong maps in a geography book happened. He would leave no stone unturned to identify the culprit, even a judicial inquiry into this "heinous crime", saying a letter will soon be written to the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court for that purpose. Calling for a judicial inquiry makes little sense in this case. If anything, it is reflective of the provincial government's own lack of trust in its administrative capability. The Textbook Board is supposed to keep a record of the people involved with various aspects of writing and printing school books. Also, the Chief Minister's Inspection Team is to submit its report. It should not be difficult to identify the culprits and hold them to account.
The episode says a lot about the prevailing state of affairs in the education establishment. This was too obvious a mistake yet it remained unnoticed till the books were printed and distributed. The textbooks contain many other errors because of the unscientific approach of curriculum developers and writers towards learning. It would be worthwhile for the Chief Minister to order a fresh assessment of the syllabi not only to correct blatant mistakes like the present one but also to ensure they contain objective information and promote rational thinking. Then there is the challenge of taking out regressive, chauvinistic content introduced by the Zia regime. A couple of years ago, Shahbaz Sharif tried but failed in the face of opposition from religious parties who want to retain this part of the Zia legacy in aid of their own brand of politics. Books already published and distributed were withdrawn from the market. One can only hope the seriousness with which he is pursuing the case of the map, the Chief Minister of Punjab will also undertake a review of the school curricula to bring them up to the needs of the time.