ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Former Punjab education minister Mian Imran Masood on Tuesday urged the federal and provincial governments to agree on a common core curriculum and allow time until April 2028 for its implementation so that schools, teachers and publishers could prepare for the revised framework in an orderly manner.
Speaking at a media briefing on curriculum reforms, Masood warned that separate curricula being developed by the federal government, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could create disparities in educational standards and cause difficulties for students moving from one province to another. He called for a coordinated approach to ensure comparable learning standards across the country.
The briefing was held at a time when curriculum-related developments are under way at both federal and provincial levels. The National Curriculum Council is seeking public feedback on the draft National Curriculum Framework 2026 and the proposed curriculum for early childhood education through Grade 5. Punjab has approved a revised primary curriculum for implementation from the 2027 academic year, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued revised curricula for secondary and higher secondary classes.
Masood said that despite the devolution of curriculum responsibilities to the provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, broad consistency had been maintained between 2010 and 2026. He said curriculum was not merely a document but the foundation of the entire education system, shaping learning outcomes, teacher preparation, classroom planning and examinations.
He also pointed out that Pakistan had a limited school year, with approximately 140 to 145 teaching days annually, compared with 192 to 220 days in several other countries. He said curriculum targets and available teaching time needed to be aligned for effective learning.
Masood said curriculum and textbook development was a lengthy process involving content preparation, review by relevant bodies, approvals, printing and distribution to schools. He added that teacher training and school-level preparation were essential before any new curriculum could be effectively introduced.
Arshad Saeed, Managing Director of Oxford University Press Pakistan, welcomed curriculum reforms but said their success depended on careful planning and cooperation between federal and provincial authorities. He proposed a common core curriculum for English, Urdu, mathematics and science, while allowing provinces to include their distinct histories, geography and local contexts in social studies.
He said a shared framework could reduce duplication of resources and help keep textbook costs manageable. He added that the announcement of a curriculum alone was not enough, as textbook writing, approvals, lesson planning, teacher training and school preparation had to follow.
Oxford University Press Pakistan’s Shazia Asghar said students at the foundational and primary levels needed consistent learning standards. She said the provinces should work with the National Curriculum Council to agree on a core curriculum so that students could receive comparable education in English, Urdu, mathematics and science.
She said provinces could add material in social studies according to their local needs and regional contexts, but standards in core subjects should remain consistent. She called for sufficient time for pilot teaching, textbook development, teacher training and student adjustment before the revised curriculum was introduced.
The speakers said rushed implementation could undermine learning outcomes. They said the proposed timeline until April 2028 would allow textbook writing, review and approval, printing, distribution and school-level preparations to be completed in a systematic manner.
The briefing concluded with a call for sustained coordination among federal and provincial governments, curriculum bodies, publishers and education experts to ensure that curriculum reforms result in improved learning outcomes and more equitable educational opportunities for children across Pakistan.
