ISLAMABAD: Former Education minister for Punjab Mian Imran Masood has urged the federal and provincial governments to agree on a common core curriculum and allow until April 2028 for its implementation, giving schools and publishers sufficient time to prepare quality textbooks, train teachers and align teaching and assessment systems.
Speaking at a media briefing on curriculum reforms on Tuesday, Masood cautioned that separate curricula being developed by the federal government, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could create disparities in educational standards and difficulties for students moving between provinces. He called for a coordinated approach to ensure comparable learning standards nationwide.
The briefing comes amid parallel curriculum developments at the federal and provincial levels currently underway. The National Curriculum Council is seeking public feedback on the draft National Curriculum Framework 2026 and the proposed curriculum for early childhood education through Grade 5, while Punjab has approved a revised primary curriculum for implementation from the 2027 academic year.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also issued revised curricula for secondary and higher secondary classes. These developments have brought the question of national consistency, provincial autonomy and the practical readiness of schools into sharper focus
Masood said that despite the devolution of curriculum responsibilities to provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, broad consistency had been maintained between 2010 and 2026.
He stressed that a curriculum underpins the entire education system, shaping learning outcomes, teacher preparation, classroom planning and examinations. He also highlighted Pakistan’s limited school year, with approximately 140 to 145 teaching days annually, compared with 192 to 220 days in several other countries.
Arshad Saeed, Managing Director of Oxford University Press Pakistan, welcomed curriculum reforms but stressed that their success depended on careful planning and cooperation between federal and provincial authorities.
He proposed a common core curriculum for English, Urdu, mathematics and science, allowing provinces to incorporate their distinct histories, geography and local contexts into social studies. A shared framework, he added, could also reduce duplication of resources and help keep textbook costs manageable.
The speakers emphasised students needed consistent learning standards at the foundational and primary levels.
She called for adequate time for pilot teaching, textbook development and teacher training before the revised curriculum was introduced, warning against rushed implementation that could undermine learning outcomes.
They stressed that curriculum development must be followed by textbook writing, review and approval, printing, distribution and school-level preparation. They said the proposed timeline until April 2028 would provide an opportunity to complete these stages in an orderly manner and give teachers and students time to adapt to the revised framework.
The briefing concluded with a call for sustained coordination among federal and provincial governments, curriculum bodies, publishers and education experts to ensure that reforms translated into improved learning outcomes and more equitable educational opportunities for children across Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026