Punjab plans lighter textbooks and QR video lessons from April
The Punjab government plans a revised curriculum for early childhood education to Grade V with textbooks 25 per cent lighter. It aims to shift towards digital and conceptual learning from April next year.
- Revised curriculum covers early childhood education to Grade V
- Textbook volume to be cut by 25 per cent
- QR codes in books will link to video lessons
- Printing to begin in January, ahead of the April session
The Punjab government is planning a revised curriculum for early childhood education (ECCE) to Grade V that promises textbooks 25 per cent lighter, The Express Tribune and ProPakistani reported. The aim is to move towards digital and conceptual learning from April next year.
The decision was discussed during an education reforms meeting. The revised curriculum reduces textbook volume by 25 per cent and includes video lessons that students can reach through QR codes printed in the textbooks.
The QR codes will let students open the video lessons on digital devices. The digital component is meant to allow children to revise lessons at home and learn at their own pace.
According to a senior PECTAA official, the curriculum has been prepared for ECCE to Grade V and sent to Cambridge International Education authorities for assessment and comparison with international standards.
The final curriculum content is expected to be ready in December. PECTAA will begin printing the revised textbooks in January, and the books are scheduled to be available before the new academic session begins in April.
The plan comes as parents and educationists voice concern about the rising academic burden on primary schoolchildren. In private schools in Lahore and other major cities, children are often expected to carry grammar and mathematics practice books, general knowledge material, computer science books, activity workbooks and other learning resources.
Reports say the situation worsens when schools introduce supplementary courses without removing existing material. Educationists say the real benefit of the new curriculum depends on whether schools review supplementary reading requirements, homework policies and examination practices.
Why it matters
Students and parents in Punjab, especially in private schools in Lahore and other major cities, would feel any change in school workload and the weight of schoolbags. Educationists say the outcome also depends on school policies on extra reading, homework and exams.
