The Punjab government has agreed in principle to introduce legislation aimed at eliminating corporal punishment in schools. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said physical violence against children could leave lasting effects on their lives.
The meeting also discussed establishing “discipline corners” in classrooms as an alternative to physical punishment. Officials discussed the measures during a special meeting on education reforms chaired by Maryam Nawaz.
The meeting focused on reforms aimed at improving teaching and learning across Punjab schools. The government also approved changes to the school curriculum and plans to reduce the volume of textbooks by 25%.
Officials said the change would help shift classroom learning away from rote memorization toward greater understanding of concepts. The new textbooks will also feature QR codes that students can scan to access video lessons related to different topics.
The meeting also addressed student mental health. The government plans to provide mental health training to teachers and considered placing visiting faculty psychologists in every district.
Maryam Nawaz also directed officials to develop online counseling facilities for students. The government plans to dedicate one day each week to teacher training. Authors of the new textbooks will train teachers on how to use the revised books.
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