Matric courses face major delays

Lack of textbooks, trained teachers and proper labs cited as the cause

RAWALPINDI:

In the new academic session 2025-27, the number of academic groups offered for Matric (9th and 10th grade) has been increased from three to six. However, a lack of preparedness for the newly introduced groups has caused serious delays in education for thousands of students enrolled in them.

The new groups—Agricultural Science, Fashion Designing, and Health Science—were introduced without the availability of textbooks, finalised syllabi, trained teachers, or proper laboratory setups. As a result, students in these groups have yet to begin formal education even though the academic session started on April 7.

With summer vacations scheduled from June 1 to August 14, regular classes and science practical's for these students will only begin after August 15, resulting in a loss of nearly four valuable months of learning.

Currently, textbooks for these new subjects are not available in the market, and no public or private schools have hired subject specialists or developed dedicated science labs for these disciplines. In fact, it has not even been finalized what kind of labs are needed for these subjects.

According to Rana Liaqat, Central Secretary General of the Punjab Teachers Union, "The Education Ministry should have first ensured the availability of textbooks, trained selected teachers, and established laboratories in all high and higher secondary schools before allowing admissions. Such hasty decisions only create confusion. Even teachers are unsure about the exact curriculum of these new subjects."

Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, Secretary General of the Punjab SES Teachers Association, stated that while the introduction of new academic groups is a positive step, it should have been preceded by thorough preparation. "Had the government completed all preparations this year and launched the new groups in 2026, the results would have been far better," he added.

Meanwhile, Amanullah, CEO of the District Education Authority Rawalpindi, claimed that male and female teachers have already been appointed for these new groups in the district. He said that orientation lectures for students have begun, and the laboratories will be ready by next month. "Existing science labs in schools will have dedicated corners for these subjects. These new groups will offer students valuable skills—girls can enter self-employment in beauty and fashion, while boys can apply agricultural knowledge at the household level."

Despite these official assurances, the lack of early preparation has already impacted students' learning timelines, highlighting the consequences of implementing academic reforms without adequate groundwork.