Punjab to shift primary schools from rote learning to concept-based curriculum

LAHORE: The Punjab Education Curriculum, Training and Assessment Authority (Pectaa) has begun a curriculum reform process for grades I to V aimed at replacing rote memorisation with concept-based learning in primary schools.

The move was discussed at the first meeting of Pectaa’s Curriculum Advisory Committee, held in Lahore on Saturday. The session was chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for School Education Nausheen Adnan and Pectaa Vice Chairperson Musa Ali Bukhari.

During the meeting, Dr Zubda Ziaur Rehman gave a keynote presentation on the existing curriculum structure and the proposed reform model, setting the basis for the committee’s discussion on changes to the primary education system in Punjab.

According to the authority, the reform drive will start with grades I to V, which it described as the foundational years of learning. Pectaa said, “The reform initiative will initially focus on grades I to V, the foundational years of learning. The committee has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of existing student learning outcomes (SLOs) to reduce their volume, eliminate redundancies, and reframe them around core conceptual competencies.”

The authority said the objective is to move away from a content-heavy approach and towards a curriculum that promotes critical thinking, understanding and adaptability among students.

Review of learning outcomes

Pectaa said the committee will carry out a detailed review of current student learning outcomes in order to cut down their volume, remove overlap and reshape them around key conceptual competencies.

The authority noted that Punjab’s current primary curriculum has for a long time been criticised for being too extensive and too focused on memorisation, which it said has restricted teachers’ ability to emphasise conceptual understanding and inquiry-based learning in classrooms.

It said, “This reform seeks to address these challenges by creating a streamlined, concept-driven curriculum aligned with international best practices,” and added that the authority wanted to give teachers more flexibility and support for effective instruction while helping students build deeper understanding and essential learning skills.

Experts join advisory process

A wide range of education experts, policymakers and practitioners attended the meeting. Participants included representatives from the University of Education Lahore, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Beaconhouse School System, Society for the Advancement of Education and the Pakistan Institute of Education.

National and international experts also joined the meeting virtually from the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development, the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and The Citizens Foundation.

The meeting marked the start of Pectaa’s formal advisory process for revising the primary curriculum in Punjab, with the initial focus remaining on the early grades as the province seeks to replace memorisation-driven teaching with a more concept-oriented model of learning.