Shafqat Mehmood clarifies two things about Single National Curriculum
February 10, 2021
- Shafqat Mehmood issues a statement to clear confusion about the Single National Curriculum, set to be introduced next academic year
- Minister says the SNC "prescribes minimum learning standards" and schools are free to teach additional material
- Says schools can use any text books that are consistent with the curriculum
Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday issued a statement to clarify two things about the soon-to-be-introduced Single National Curriculum (SNC).
According to the minister, the SNC "prescribes minimum learning standards i.e. the core curriculum".
This means that this will be the foundation for learning for all students and the obligatory portion to be included in their syllabus. "Schools are free to teach any additional material or even additional subjects," he explained.
On Shafqat Mehmood's directives, Single National Curriculum to begin next academic year
The other thing the minister clarified was that schools are in no way restricted in their use of books so long as the text complies with the SNC.
"Private schools can use any book that is consistent with SNC," wrote Mehmood.
Shafqat Mehmood explains how new curriculum will benefit students
When will the curriculum be introduced?
The single national curriculum is set to be implemented across the country from the next academic year, due to begin in August 2021.
The education ministry had said that under the directives of Federal the Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood, the new year "would start now in August 2021 due to extension in examination dates to be held in May/June and also prolonged school closures in the academic year of 2020".
The SNC has been developed in consultation with area governments, said the ministry, adding that students of pre-1 to grade 5, across all public and private schools, will follow it.
The ministry said that a letter was sent to all provincial and area governments regarding the Textbook Policy under the unified curriculum.
