Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Implement National Curriculum 2026 for Grades 9 to 12

What Happened

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa plans to enforce the National Curriculum of Pakistan 2026 for students in classes 9 through 12 beginning with the 2027 academic year [1, 2]. The Directorate of Curriculum and Teacher Education has issued instructions regarding the implementation of this revised curriculum [1, 2].

Key components of the new curriculum include:

• English, Urdu, Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics [1, 2].
• General Science, which will be applied only to classes 9 and 10 [1, 2].

To support this transition, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board is tasked with preparing or revising textbooks for classes 9 to 12 to align with the national standards [1, 2]. Additionally, all educational boards are required to conduct examinations based on the revised curriculum [1, 2].

Strict regulations have been established regarding educational materials. The Directorate of Curriculum and Teacher Education must provide prior approval for any textbooks prepared or revised under the new curriculum [1, 2]. Schools are prohibited from distributing books that lack this required approval [1, 2]. Furthermore, private publishers are required to obtain either prior approval or a no-objection certificate (NOC) before they can publish textbooks or supplementary study materials [1, 2].

The KP Private Schools Regulatory Authority has directed school principals to carefully review the instructions from the curriculum directorate to ensure full compliance [1, 2]. Authorities have warned that any educational institutions or concerned entities that violate these directives may face legal action under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Supervision of Curricula, Textbooks and Maintenance of Standards of Education Act, 2011 [1, 2].

Who Is Affected

• Students in classes 9, 10, 11, and 12 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [1, 2].
• Schools across the province, including private institutions [1, 2].
• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board [1, 2].
• All educational boards responsible for conducting examinations [1, 2].
• Private publishers of textbooks and supplementary study materials [1, 2].
• School principals and heads of private schools [1, 2].