PAKISTAN’S students do not need voluminous textbooks especially in the early stages; they need better learning. The Punjab government’s decision to revise the curriculum from pre-primary to Grade 5, reduce textbook volume by 25pc, and shift students away from rote learning is therefore a welcome step. The current education system has confused the amount of content covered with learning. Crowded textbooks and examination practices have compelled children to memorise the text rather than understand the concepts, ask questions or apply knowledge. Reducing the syllabus can help correct this imbalance by giving teachers more time to explain and engage students. The proposed emphasis on learning outcomes is particularly important. Children should be able to demonstrate what they have understood, not simply reproduce what they have read. But this will require changes beyond the textbooks. Examinations must test comprehension, reasoning and application if schools are expected to teach those skills.

This makes teacher training crucial to reform. Cambridge has been involved in reviewing the curriculum against international curricula and it is also expected to help train teachers. The government has proposed dedicating Saturdays to teacher training. These measures can work only if the training is practical and sustained. Yet another round of workshops and certificates will not change classroom behaviour. Teachers need support in lesson planning, assessment, classroom management and teaching children with different learning abilities. Moreover, teacher and student mental health counselling and a ban on corporal punishment will make schools safer, and replace fear and humiliation with healthier discipline. At the same time, the government should not overload the framework. AI education has merit, but primary schools must first secure reading, writing and maths. Implementation will determine whether the reform succeeds. Teachers should understand the purpose of the changes; textbooks must reflect them properly, and examinations should reinforce the new learning goals. The government will also need mechanisms to monitor classrooms rather than merely inspect whether new books have reached schools. The reduction in textbook volume is therefore useful, but it is not the reform’s most important feature. The significance of this step should lie in recognising that children learn better when education moves from content coverage to actual comprehension.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026