PESHAWAR – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Darul Uloom Haqqania as part of its efforts to reform the seminary.
Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led KP government had set aside a fund of Rs. 300 million in the provincial budget for fiscal year 2016-17 for Darul Uloom Haqqania, a move which drew criticism from arch rivals who termed the party as pro-Taliban.
KP officials tried to fend off the criticism by asserting that Darul Uloom Haqqania will bring reforms and would make its curriculum at par with other schools.
Related: Mainstreaming madrassahs: IK explains whyKP budget gives millions to hardline Haqqania seminary
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has a vision to streamline all sorts of education systems into one system that seeks to bridge the appalling disconnect between the government and the seminary systems,” KP government’s spokesman Mushtaq Ghani said.
The KP government has now officially joined hands with the seminary to mainstream madrassahs.
As per the MoU, a number of steps would be taken, including:
– Haqqania Taleemul Quran High School would be given a status of Haqqania Degree college
– Haqqania Institute for modern languages would be built where Arabic, Persian, English, French and Chinese languages would be taught
– Haqqania Teacher Training institute would be established
– Research and Publication
– Modern computer and science laboratories would be set up
– To initiate student foreign scholarship program, an Academic Block would be built for subjects including Maths, General Sciences, Political Sciences, International Law, and Geography.