The government is set to introduce a new national curriculum at the secondary level beginning in 2027, starting with grade six and gradually expanding to higher grades.
The decision, officials say, reflects the demands of students, teachers and guardians following the mass uprising of July 2024, which played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of the current interim government’s education policy.
The new curriculum is being developed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) following a review of educational systems in about 16 countries.
Its primary objective is to shift away from rote memorization and towards experiential, hands-on learning to build a more skilled, future-ready workforce.
Education Adviser Dr Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar recently said the new initiative would prioritize technology, inclusivity and accountability.
“We are developing this curriculum through dialogue and national consensus. It must reflect both global standards and local realities,” he said.
While reaffirming the place of core national values like patriotism, the 1952 Language Movement, and the 1971 Liberation War, Prof Chowdhury added that the global context and the student-teacher-parent protests in July 2024 will also shape the new framework.
Curriculum and timeline
According to NCTB officials, the curriculum’s preliminary framework will be finalized by December this year.
The revised curriculum is expected to incorporate key elements from both the 2012 and 2022 models, though it is yet to be decided which will serve as the foundational base.
NCTB Chairman Professor Robiul Kabir Chowdhury told Dhaka Tribune: “The current grade nine students, who are scheduled to sit SSC exams in 2027, will do so under the existing 2012 curriculum.”
“That gives us the timeline and the target. Our internal preparations have already begun,” he said.
He added that fundamental national values, notably patriotism, the language movement, and the spirit of the Liberation War, will remain unchanged.
However, lessons from the 2024 protests and a more global outlook will influence pedagogy and learning methods.
The interim government had earlier discarded the 2021 curriculum introduced by the previous Awami League government and reinstated the 2012 version at the secondary level.
At the primary level, however, the 2022 curriculum remains in place, and new textbooks are being prepared accordingly.
A history of reform
Since Bangladesh’s emergence as an independent state, more than six commissions have proposed various educational reforms.
Notable among them are the Kudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission (1972), Shamsul Haque Committee (1976), Kazi Zafar Ahmed Commission (1978), and Kabir Chowdhury Commission (2009).
Additionally, national education policies were declared in 2010 and 2022, with the 2021 curriculum introduced as part of the Awami League’s broader educational reform effort.
Siddique Zobair, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, said that introducing a curriculum across all grades simultaneously is not a prudent approach.
“That is why we are starting with grade six and expanding it one grade at a time each year,” he said.
The 2022 curriculum, under the Awami League, was rooted in the principles of the Constitution - nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism - as well as the values of the 1971 Liberation War, human dignity, and social justice.
However, that curriculum drew criticism for its rapid rollout and lack of preparation.
Teachers, guardians and education experts warned that it placed undue stress on students and failed to equip instructors adequately.
Voices of concern
Parents also continue to express concern about evaluation methods.
Anisur Rahman, father of a seventh-grader in Mohammadpur, said: “We don’t want experimental methods that confuse our children. The government must clarify how students will be evaluated.”
Farhana Nasrin, a guardian in Mirpur, added: “Unless teachers are properly trained, outcome-based assessment will just add stress instead of improving learning.”
NCTB officials have cited examples from countries like Australia and the US, where evaluation is often continuous and determined at the school level.
These systems place emphasis on practical learning, problem-solving and critical thinking.
NCTB Secretary Professor Md Shahtab Uddin said that a specialized committee would be formed to evaluate both the 2012 and 2022 curricula, in light of global practices, before the new structure is finalised.
What experts say
Education experts have warned that without significant investment in teacher training and school infrastructure, the new curriculum risks falling short of its objectives.
They emphasized the need to support teachers professionally and ensure that school facilities are equipped for modern learning.
Prof Shaikh Ekramul Kabir, a member of the Education Policy-2010 formulation committee, told Dhaka Tribune: “Curriculum reform cannot succeed in isolation. Without investing in teachers’ capabilities and classroom environments, even the most progressive content will fail. What’s crucial now is not just what students learn, but how they are taught and evaluated.”
“We must avoid the top-down mistakes of the past.”
