The segregation of academic streams (humanities, commerce and science) is being reintroduced in secondary education.
Starting in 2025, students who advance to the ninth grade will follow a curriculum that includes separate humanities, commerce and science streams, according to a circular issued by the Ministry of Education on Sunday.
This marks a return to the practices of the 2012 national curriculum.
The circular says the science, humanities and commerce streams will be maintained for students advancing to the tenth grade in 2025, who will sit for the SSC and equivalent exams in 2026.
Other students will be provided with revised and updated textbooks ((ie, the books used in the 2023 academic year) based on the 2012 national curriculum.
A concise curriculum will be developed for the stream-based textbooks designed under the 2012 curriculum, enabling students to complete the syllabus within one academic year.
Teaching and assessment methods will follow the guidelines of the 2012 curriculum.
The circular also mentions that students advancing to the ninth grade in 2025 will receive the revised and updated stream and cluster-based textbooks (used in the 2023 academic year) under the 2012 national curriculum.
These students will complete the entire syllabus over two academic years, in ninth and tenth grade, and will sit for the SSC and equivalent exams in 2027.