Uniform curriculum: ‘Schools free to teach additional material’

Islamabad : Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday issued a statement clarifying issues about the newly-formulated Single National Curriculum (SNC) to be enforced across the country in the next academic year in August 2021.

According to him, the SNC prescribes minimum learning standards i.e. the core curriculum.

"This means that this will be the foundation for learning for all students and the obligatory portion to be included in their syllabus."

The minister said schools were free to teach any additional material or even additional subjects.

The SNC has been developed in consultation with area governments, said the ministry, adding that students of pre-1 to grade 5 will follow it.

It will come into effect across all public and private schools in the next academic year.

The ministry said that a letter was sent to all provincial and area governments regarding the Textbook Policy under the unified curriculum.

According to the policy, private publishers are allowed to develop textbooks to be used by students under the new curriculum on the condition that the books are 'aligned with the [student learning outcomes] prescribed by SNC.'

Also, the publishers will require a no-objection certificate (NOC) by the provincial textbook boards so that they may 'check any inclusion of anti-Pakistan, anti-religion, and any other hate material.'