ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will implement the Single National Curriculum (SNC) in the next academic year beginning in August 2021, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training announced on Wednesday.
Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood has directed the ministry that the new year “would start now in August 2021 due to extension in examination dates to be held in May/June and also prolonged school closures in the academic year of 2020”.
The SNC has been developed in consultation with area governments and 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. The education ministry issued a letter to all provincial governments regarding single national curriculum textbook policy and also allowed private publishers to develop these textbooks aligned with student learning objectives.
According to the ministry, all private publishers need to acquire NOC by Textbook Boards of their respective areas to enable the Boards to check any inclusion of anti-Pakistan, anti-religion or any other hate material.
The ministry also advised all provincial Textbook Boards to exercise due diligence to ensure that private publishers producing textbooks in line with the objectives and contents of the single national curriculum.
The ministry has also apprised the concerned authorities that new academic session would start now in August this year due to extension in examination dates that are scheduled to be held May or June due to prolonged school closures.
It is noteworthy that ministry in consultation with provincial governments and all other stakeholders has developed Single National Curriculum from pre-1 to grade 5 which shall be followed by all public and private schools across the country from next academic year.
The ministry has also advised them to “facilitate the procedure of NOC without red-tapism and avoiding cumbersome administrative complications”.
