It has become mandatory for all government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take a break for afternoon Zuhr prayers, according to an announcement by the province’s Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai.
Tarakai tweeted the development on Friday, posting a notice that detailed the directive. The notification was directed at the district education officers in the province, who were asked to adjust school schedules to accommodate Zuhr prayers. The notification was signed off by the assistant director of the directorate of elementary and secondary education in KP. Tarakai said that all schools were told to take a break for afternoon prayers.
The news gathered mixed responses from people, with some elated at the move. Several lauded Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI’s) commitment to Islam and the development of a state that emulated Madina.
Several also said that the measure should be implemented across Pakistan.
Others felt there were more pressing matters to address when it came to schooling. A social media user said that students were going hungry during lunch break and there was a problem of stunted growth amongst children. He said that free lunch should be provisioned first before mandatory prayers.
Another user said that there should be a focus on “capacity building” of teachers, enhancing campus environment and organizing student exchange programs, instead of using the religion card.
Sectarian concerns were also raised, with one user saying that sectarian differences must be accounted for in the mandatory order. He said that awareness must be spread for tolerance over differing approaches.
One user also wondered why KP was being singled out to advance an “Islamist approach”. He added that too much blood had been shed in the name of religion already in KP.
