Punjab approves new curriculum for govt schools, cuts textbook burden by 25pc
“Punjab has approved a new government-school curriculum, reducing textbook burden by 25% while introducing QR-based lessons, AI education, teacher training and o…”
LLAHORE —Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has formally approved a new curriculum for government schools across the province, with a decision to reduce the burden of textbooks by 25% and make modern technology part of education.
A special meeting on education reforms, chaired by the chief minister, reviewed a detailed briefing on the new curriculum by the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority (PECTAA). The meeting reviewed the curricula for English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Urdu and Early Childhood Education., the new curriculum aims to discourage rote learning and strengthen students’ educational foundations.
Under the new curriculum, every textbook will contain a QR code that students can scan to watch video lessons related to the relevant topic. Maryam Nawaz directed the preparation of an artificial intelligence curriculum from Class 1 to Class 12 and called for the establishment of laboratories in schools alongside the AI curriculum.
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She also ordered the printing of the new textbooks to be completed before March. The meeting also decided to introduce mental health training for teachers for the first time in Punjab, while a proposal to appoint visiting faculty psychologists in every district was also reviewed.
The chief minister directed the provision of online counselling facilities for students. The meeting also agreed on legislation to eliminate corporal punishment in schools. A proposal to establish discipline corners in classrooms as an alternative to physical punishment was also considered.
It was further agreed that one day a week would be dedicated to teachers’ training across Punjab, with textbook authors themselves conducting the training. Maryam Nawaz said she wanted to see the best educational model in Punjab’s government schools and stressed the need to give special attention to primary schools to strengthen children’s educational foundations.
She said there was no shortage of resources, but their wastage needed to be prevented. She added that efforts were underway to increase digital literacy in Punjab’s schools. The chief minister said English learning had been completed for 35,000 teachers in 31 tehsils across 12 districts.
Speaking about corporal punishment, Maryam Nawaz said physical abuse could have a lifelong impact on a child’s life and stressed the need for effective measures to eliminate it from schools.
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