Minister inaugurates Directorate of Religious Education.

ISLAMABAD -- Federal Minister for Education on Thursday formally inaugurated the Directorate of Religious Education for regulation of religious seminaries in the country.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood while talking to media on this occasion said that the directorate established 16 offices in entire country including provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The minister said that government and Tanzeem Itehad-ul- Madaris have agreed to register all seminaries with the ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (FE and PT) and students enrolled there will appear in boar examination in next four years.

He said that government is committed to helping seminaries by all means in solving their problems including fulfilling shortage of teachers.

Minister also said that government will also assist seminaries in addressing visa problems of foreign students and in opening bank accounts.

He also said that at initial stage Rs2 billion budget has been allocated by the government for the regulation of religious seminaries in country.

The minister said that it is first time that government will provide opportunity to religious seminary students to study the uniform curriculum and appear in matriculation and Fsc examinations.

Responding a query regarding change of syllabus for religious seminaries the minister said that the students will study same course as being taught in formal education system in matriculation and Fsc level.

He said that later government will also introduce the board examination at elementary level.

Minister Shafqat Mehmmod also said that government is working to launch uniform curriculum in the country for public and private sector and it will launch the initiative in the month of March next year.

He said that uniform curriculum will be initially introduced at...