Sikh children not being taught Gurmukhi

From a news story from the Daily Times of Pakistan / Jan 23, 2009

Sikh children not being taught Gurmukhi

• Sikhs demand government establish separate institution for Sikh children in Lahore

By Abdul Manan

Lahore: Around 25 Sikh children studying in various schools of the city are not being taught their religious language, Gurmukhi, Sikh families told Daily Times on Thursday.

According to government statistics, there are three schools in Pakistan where Gurmukhi is being taught. One school is situated in Nankana Sahib and two are in Peshawar. The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (PSGPC) have established the school at Nankana where Sikh children are taught Gurmukhi as a separate subject from their holy book, Guru Granth Sahib.

Schools in Peshawar also teach Gurmukhi and Guru Granth to Sikh children.

Separate institution: Talking to Daily Times, Sikh residents said Gurmukhi was their religious language. “If our children are not taught Gurmukhi, they will not be able to read our sacred scriptures. Muslim students are taught Arabic in schools to help them read the holy Quran. Our children should also be taught Gurmukhi, so they can read the Guru Granth. Private schools cannot afford a separate teacher for Gurmukhi. The government should establish a separate institution for Sikh children in the city.”

The word Gurmukhi is commonly translated as “from the mouth of the Guru”. However, the term used for the Punjabi script has somewhat different connotations. The opinion given by traditional scholars is that as the Sikh holy writings, before they were scribed, were uttered by the Gurus, they came to be known as Gurmukhi.

The Gurmukhi alphabet was devised during the 16th century by Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru, and popularised by Guru Angad, the second Sikh guru. It was modelled on de Landa alphabet. PSGPC former president Sardar Bishon Singh said he would visit the ETPB chairman with a Sikh delegation in this regard. He said, “Once the ETPB establishes a separate institution, Sikhs will hire Sikh educationists to teach Gurmukhi.” An ETPB official said the ETPB had not received any demand from the Sikh community so far.

{Where the writer got the idea of attributing the alphabet of Gurmukhi to the so called 'de Landa' alphabet is a mystery to me.}