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ISLAMABAD: The Golden Jubilee Convention of the 1973 Constitution passed a resolution on Monday calling for the Constitution and democratic civic education to be made mandatory in the curriculum.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, presented the resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the Convention held at the National Assembly Hall. The resolution also demanded that the Constitution be taught in all schools, colleges, universities, police training institutions, and other law-enforcement agencies under the control of provincial governments.
Every year on April 10, National Constitution Day will be observed, according to the resolution. The resolution states that the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the 1973 Constitution, as well as an unbiased account of constitutional and democratic developments in Pakistan, should be included in textbooks for all relevant subjects such as Pakistan Studies, History, Social Studies, Urdu, English, and any other subject taught in the provinces’ schools, colleges, and universities.
Furthermore, the resolution urged educational campuses to prioritize themes related to parliamentary democracy, fundamental rights, and constitutionalism in Pakistan. It also urged public broadcasters and independent private media to spend more time learning about the Constitution and its importance as a living contract between citizens and the state.
The resolution also stated that provincial governments must reach out to the people of Pakistan in order to raise awareness about the Constitution’s importance and encourage its preservation and protection. It also resolved to uphold in letter and spirit the constitutional provision under the 18th Constitutional Amendment that devolved education to the provinces.
As a result, the resolution urged provincial governments to take the necessary actions and put the resolution into effect. The federal government shall encourage all provincial governments and federating unit governments to include courses on the importance of the Constitution and a study of its salient features, particularly those relating to human rights (women, minorities, children, due process, and international human rights obligations) and the trichotomy of powers, in the curricula of all educational institutions in the provinces.
The resolution emphasized that the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which was adopted on April 10, 1973, is the supreme law of the land and the foundation of the country’s democratic framework. The 50th anniversary and Golden Jubilee celebrations of the adoption of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Constitution provide an opportunity to reflect on its significance and promote a better understanding of its provisions among the country’s citizens, particularly children, and youth.
The resolution acknowledged that the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the basic document governing the structure and polity of the state and that it is critical for Pakistan’s and its people’s future to maintain the continuity of democratic governance embedded in the Constitution’s supremacy. It also recognized democratic civic education as an important tool for providing the necessary knowledge, historical context, and skills to actively and effectively participate in the pursuit of democratic governance.
The Joint Communiqué of the 17th Speakers’ Conference, which was released on April 15, 2014, in Islamabad, was endorsed by the resolution. It recommended modifying the educational curriculum to teach the next generation the value of democracy and to make them aware of the democratic struggle for parliamentary democracy.
The minister thanked the committee members who were appointed to plan the Constitution’s golden jubilee celebration before he delivered the resolution.
