The introduction of a new class IX Islamiyat syllabus by Pakistani Education Ministry for pupils waiting to take the crucial matriculation exams, has created acute confusion in schools.
The primary cause of concern is the introduction of Arabic in the book prescribed for the class--in the absence of any background in syllabi for previous grades leading up to this learning. Students fear they will be unable to so swiftly gain sufficient knowledge of what is for the vast majority of them an entirely new language to pass the examination. Similarly, school heads say they lack staff with the knowledge needed to properly teach the course. Education officials meanwhile stress schools were warned earlier to initiate training programmes for teachers.
The issue points firstly to the lack of coherent planning. It is quite clear that curricula need to be set keeping in mind the capacity of students and tailored, beginning from the primary stages, to meet the needs as students rise from one grade to the next. The fact that this has not been done in this case is a key reason for the panic created. This also means students will be forced to resort to massive rote learning in order to clear the course. This will in no way aid their ability to either properly comprehend the many subtleties of Arabic, a language with a vast vocabulary, enormous poetic beauty and intricate grammatical nuances, or of their religion--which itself stresses the need to acquire knowledge by using reason and gaining comprehension, rather than merely following set practices blindly.
Also important is the question of why students should be forced to learn Arabic? The main requirements of religious knowledge must surely be to properly understand the meaning of Islam, its wisdom and its vast message for humanity. The language best suited to offer this wisdom to students should be used for the purpose, so that they can fully grasp Islam's true meaning and its depth. While Arabic, like other languages, should be available to all those who choose to learn it, enforcing its teaching in this manner may prove to serve neither the cause of religion nor education.
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