Punjab approves new school curriculum, plans health support for teachers, students

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday approved a new school curriculum aimed at reducing the burden of textbooks and curbing rote learning, while directing steps for mental health support and online counselling for teachers and students. The decision was taken at a special meeting chaired by the chief minister, which reviewed the curricula for English, mathematics, social studies, Urdu and early childhood education. Under the new curriculum, the volume of textbooks is expected to be reduced by 25 per cent. Each textbook will carry QR codes enabling students to access video lessons related to the topics covered. The chief minister also sought details of an artificial intelligence curriculum for students from Class-I to Class-XII and directed that the printing of textbooks be completed before March. The meeting, which was given a detailed briefing on the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PECTA), agreed to launch mental health training for teachers for the first time in the province. It also considered appointing visiting faculty psychologists in every district and directed the relevant authorities to take measures for providing online counselling to students. The meeting also agreed in principle to legislation to prevent corporal punishment in schools. Instead of physical punishment, the establishment of 'discipline corners' in classrooms was proposed. It was further agreed that Saturdays would be dedicated to teachers' training across Punjab. Authors of the new textbooks would themselves conduct training sessions for teachers, the meeting was told. CM Punjab said she wanted to see an effective educational model in Punjab's government schools and stressed that laboratories should be developed alongside the AI curriculum. 'There is no shortage of resources, but wastage of resources must now be stopped,' she said, calling for greater focus on primary schools to strengthen the foundations of education. The chief minister said digital literacy was also being promoted in schools across Punjab. She was informed that English-language training had been completed for 35,000 teachers in 31 tehsils of 12 districts. 'An episode of physical violence can have a lifelong impact on a child,' she said, stressing the need to replace corporal punishment with more constructive disciplinary measures. Separately, Maryam Nawaz congratulated Dr Najeeb Naqi on his election as the 25th President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The chief minister also felicitated people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion. Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed her best wishes to President Dr Najeeb Naqi and prayed for his success in serving the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.