Senate Committee Debates Reproductive Health Education Inclusion

A vigorous discussion took place within the Senate Standing Committee on Education concerning a proposition to incorporate reproductive health education into the existing academic framework. Committee members expressed strongly differing opinions on the matter.

Senator Quratulain Marri, who introduced the legislative proposal, stated on Monday that reproductive health information should be integrated into the curriculum to offer students, particularly young women, appropriate guidance prior to marriage.

“Children are accessing unsuitable content online. It would be more beneficial if they received accurate education through the school curriculum,” she commented.

However, numerous committee participants voiced opposition to the recommendation. Senator Kamran Murtaza dismissed the inclusion entirely. Senator Fauzia Arshad also conveyed her disagreement, asserting that a comprehensive depiction of the reproductive system should be excluded from the curriculum for younger pupils.

“This choice should be reserved for the parents — allowing them to determine whether they wish their children to learn about this subject,” she elaborated.

Senator Khalida Ateeb from MQM-Pakistan suggested that reproductive health topics be omitted from the syllabus until the upper primary level. Senator Gurdeep Singh similarly opposed the proposed bill.

Senator Bushra Anjum Butt presided over the session. During the assembly, the committee also deliberated on the selection of a chancellor for the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design. Butt raised concerns about the absence of regulatory mechanisms, questioning, “If a vice chancellor has held their position for a quarter-century, how can anyone effectively challenge them?”

The HEC Chairman mentioned the presence of numerous practical challenges and clarified that the matter of VC tenure extensions had been officially concluded.

Senator Marri also opened a discussion about her Federal Oversight and Education Amendment Bill 2024, which seeks to reinstate regulatory benchmarks for textbooks.

Senator Fauzia Arshad recounted her children’s experiences in the United States, mentioning that schools there mandate parental permission before delivering instruction on subjects related to the reproductive system. The chairperson inquired about the specific age group that the suggested curriculum modifications would target.