The Punjab Education Department has announced that starting in 2026, board examinations will be held for grades fifth and eighth. The decision follows poor performance in recent Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) exams for grades IX and X. Heads of schools have been instructed to begin preparations immediately.
According to the notification, the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority (PECTA) will conduct the exams.
Officials said the objective is to strengthen students’ academic and intellectual training, while also improving board results for grades IX and X.
Private educational institutions will be exempt. Participation will be voluntary for private schools, but mandatory for government schools.
The Punjab Teachers’ Union criticised the decision, recalling that two earlier attempts to conduct board exams for grades fifth and eighth had failed.
It argued that repeating failed experiments showed the weakness of the Education Department, the Secretary of Education and the Education Minister. The union urged the government to adopt a long-term, unified education policy instead.
Teacher leaders further warned that students failing in grade eighth at government schools might shift to private institutions for grade IX, leading to a gradual decline in enrolment in government schools and paving the way for privatisation.
Meanwhile, district education officers have been directed to prepare school-wise Academic Improvement Plans identifying student weaknesses, gaps in teaching practices and result-oriented strategies.
Teachers have been warned that their performance will be closely monitored, with accountability tied directly to results under PECTA and BISE standards.
