First-ever National Curriculum Framework okayed

ISLAMABAD: The National Curriculum Council approved the first-ever National Curriculum Framework in its eighth meeting here.

Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Balighur Rehman congratulated the NCC for the historic milestone and said the unanimous approval of the National Curriculum Framework would provide necessary guidelines for curriculum development, pedagogical and assessment system in the country.

The National Curriculum Council (NCC) was constituted under the consensus decision of Inter Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference (IPEMC), as a national forum for coordination between the federal government and federating units for curriculum review and development initiatives.

The NCC consists of three members from each province and area representing their respective education departments, curriculum bureaus and textbook boards. Addressing the NCC members, the minister said the development of national level policy document on curriculum framework was an exceptional achievement of the Council and therefore, the members should strive for the development of the 'Minimum National Curriculum' for the country as per the mandate given by the IPEMC.

He said after the devolution of the subject of education, provinces were allowed to develop own curriculums but a unanimously-approved Minimum National Curriculum would define important contents for the curricula of subjects to be taught throughout the country.

The minister informed the council members that the federal government had just reviewed and finalised the new curriculum for ECCE (pre-primary) to Class 5, which would be implemented for federal areas and schools operated by the federal government.

He said textbooks based on the new curriculum were expected to be developed by December end of this year. The framework document provides broad guidelines on development of subject curriculum, instructional delivery system, assessment and testing system and professional development of teachers.