Punjab Government Approves New Curriculum, Reducing Book Burden on Students by 25%

Lahore (Qudrat Daily) – In Punjab, a new curriculum has been approved with reforms including a 25% reduction in the burden of books on school children. Under the new curriculum, AI will be taught from Class 1, and every book will feature a QR code that, when scanned, will provide video lessons. According to Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb on X, the style of education for Punjab’s children is about to change! Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the new curriculum, which will reduce the burden of books by 25%, provide video lessons through QR codes in every book, and include AI education from Class 1 to 12.

Work will also be done on mental health training for teachers, online counseling for children, and the elimination of corporal punishment in schools.

A special meeting on educational reforms was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. A commitment was reaffirmed to transform the fate of schools and classrooms—from ABC to AI, from rote memorization to conceptual learning, and from scolding to counseling. The meeting approved a new curriculum for Punjab’s children, including AI from Class 1, video lessons via QR code scanning in every book, and a 25% reduction in the weight of school bags.

The meeting received a detailed briefing from PECTA, a subsidiary of the School Education Department, on the new curriculum. English, Math, Social Studies, Urdu, and Early Childhood Curriculum were reviewed. Reducing the book burden by 25% through the new curriculum will discourage the trend of rote memorization. Every textbook will have a QR code; scanning it will allow students to watch a video lesson on the relevant topic.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has requested an AI curriculum for Classes 1 through 12 and has ordered that the printing of textbooks be completed before March. Similarly, for the first time in Punjab, it has been decided to start mental health training for teachers. Agreement was reached on legislation to eliminate corporal punishment in schools. A proposal to appoint visiting faculty psychologists in every district was also reviewed.

The Punjab Chief Minister directed that online counseling facilities be provided for students. A proposal was made to establish discipline corners in classrooms as an alternative to corporal punishment. It was agreed to dedicate one day a week across Punjab for teacher training. Authors of textbooks will themselves train the teachers. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said she wants to see an excellent educational model in Punjab’s government schools.

Along with the AI curriculum, attention should also be given to establishing labs. There is no shortage of resources, but the wastage of resources must now be stopped. Focus and hard work must be directed toward primary schools so that the educational foundation becomes strong. English learning for 35,000 teachers in 31 tehsils of 12 districts has been completed. Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that the drama of beating has a lifelong impact on a child’s life. Attention is being given to increasing digital literacy in Punjab’s schools.