The Federal Education Ministry has recently banned certain textbooks published by Cambridge due to their LGBTQ content and misrepresentation of Pakistan’s map. The ban includes the printing, publishing, distribution, and teaching of Sociology and The History and Culture of Pakistan in educational institutions throughout the federal capital.
The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) has instructed all educational institutions to provide an implementation report by May 10. Among the banned textbooks is Sociology by Jonathan Blundell of Cambridge University Press and The History and Culture of Pakistan by Nigel Kelly of Peck Publishing Limited/Danish Publishing Private Limited, which was being taught in O-levels.
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According to the Federal Secretary of Education and Vocational Training, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, these books did not have a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Curriculum Wing, and their content includes material that goes against Pakistan’s socio-cultural values. PEIRA has issued a notification stating that the printing, publishing, distribution, and teaching of these books will be prohibited, and legal action will be taken against violators under Section Four A of the PEIRA Act.
The Sociology book includes content on same-sex marriage, which is considered to be against Pakistan’s social and cultural values. Additionally, the second book wrongly describes Pakistan’s political history and includes a misprinted map of Pakistan. The National Curriculum Council reviews all textbooks, while PEIRA implements them.
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PEIRA’s notification has been sent to the principals and chief executive officers of all private educational institutions in the federal capital. The Ministry of Education also sent a letter on April 28, and the books have been banned under Section Four A of the PEIRA Act. Educational institutions must ensure that these books are not available in any institution.