Federal Education Ministry bans Cambridge textbooks for LGBTQ content and misrepresentation of Pakistan's map.
- May 5, 2023
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The Federal Education Ministry has banned certain Cambridge textbooks in the federal capital's educational institutions because of their LGBTQ content and misrepresentation of Pakistan's map. The banned books are Sociology and The History and Culture of Pakistan. The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) has prohibited the printing, publishing, distribution, and teaching of these books. The institutions have been instructed to submit a report by May 10 on the implementation of this ban.
Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, the Federal Secretary of Education and Vocational Training stated that these books lacked a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Curriculum Wing, and their content violated Pakistan's socio-cultural values. PEIRA has issued a notification warning that legal action would be taken against violators under Section Four A of the PEIRA Act. The educational institutions' management must ensure that these books are not available on their premises.
Chaudhry explained that the Sociology book contains content on same-sex marriage that contradicts Pakistan's social and cultural values. Furthermore, the second book inaccurately depicts Pakistan's political history and includes a map that is not accurate. He added that the National Curriculum Council reviews all textbooks, and PEIRA enforces them.