Our latest report examines 86 government-approved textbooks from three different school boards in Pakistan, spanning a range of subjects and grade levels. Benchmarked against UNESCO-based standards, the study assessed how these materials address themes including diversity, coexistence, gender equality and democracy.
While some lessons promote tolerance and mutual respect, many still fall short of international standards. Textbooks frequently sideline non-Muslims and foster hostility towards specific groups such as Jews and Pakistan’s neighbor India. Routinely, religious content is integrated into non-religious subjects, with jihad often framed as armed struggle or defense.
The report also identifies gender bias against women, and a confrontational foreign policy narrative repeatedly depicting Pakistan as a vanguard of the Muslim world, often at odds with the West.
These patterns highlight ongoing challenges to fostering tolerance and mutual respect in the curriculum.
Read the full report here: impact-se.org/wp-content/upl
