Punjab to halve school curriculum

LAHORE:In the wake of prolonged closure of educational institutes because of COVID-19, Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) has started preparing smart syllabus for students from grade 1 to 10.

The PCTB aimed to prepare syllabus which covers important lessons as well as meet the requirement of student learning outcomes (SLOs) as the new academic year 2020-2021 at schools would be shortened in duration because of prolonged closure of campuses in Punjab like rest of the country.

Once the educational institutions reopen the syllabus would be followed by schools from grade 1 to 10. It is pertinent to mention that the Punjab government has already announced 15 September tentative date for reopening of public and private schools across the province.

A PCTB official said necessary instructions would also be passed on to all the nine Boards of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISEs) in Punjab to design papers for Matriculation Annual Examinations 2021 keeping in view smart syllabus.

He said from grade-1 to grade-8 schools would be asked to prepare papers for school-based exams keeping in view revised syllabus. He said the PCTB would issue a detailed booklet containing all information about smart syllabus in coming days.

INP adds: The Punjab government has decided to slash school curriculum for grades one to 10 by 50pc. The education department has announced that it will turn the curriculum smart by reducing more than half of it.

It said that the decision was taken in the light of the time lost by students during the pandemic. All schools in the province have been instructed to reduce subjects from their syllabus after taking advice from teachers and experts.

The syllabuses will only include chapters or topics that are important for students while others will be removed, the department said adding that it was working on a list of topics to be removed.

The new syllabus will be easily completed during the education year from September 2020 to February 2021. Examinations will be taken on the basis of the chapters.