The Sindh Education and Literacy Department has announced plans to introduce religious textbooks specifically for Hindu students enrolled in government schools throughout the province. This initiative targets students in grades III to V and is set to begin in the academic year 2026–27.
An official letter dated April 29, addressed to the chairman of the Sindh Textbook Board (STBB), outlines the department’s request for the distribution of three religious books catering to these students. This decision follows recommendations made during the Executive Committee meeting of the Sindh Curriculum Council held on April 20.
In the letter, Chief Executive Advisor Dr Fauzia Khan stated that the publication costs for the textbooks will be covered by Prem Sagar Sanstha Karachi, a social welfare organization, for the current academic year. She further explained that the Sindh Textbook Board will manage the distribution of these books.
Dr Khan also urged the board to allocate or adjust the budget to support the publication of these religious textbooks for the following academic year, ensuring the program’s sustainability.
In a significant development, this move aligns with a similar federal initiative launched in 2023, when the National Curriculum Council (NCC) granted no-objection certificates for religious textbooks designed for minority students. These included Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Kalasha, and Buddhist communities in federally supervised educational institutions.
Meanwhile, a study conducted by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has highlighted concerns regarding the content of textbooks across Pakistan. The study suggests that exclusionary narratives within educational materials may be fostering increased social intolerance toward religious minorities. It also notes that religiously inclusive content remains scarce across various provincial textbook boards.
