The government has reaffirmed its commitment to fully implementing the Cambridge curriculum nationwide from next year, even as lawmakers continue to raise concerns over inadequate school infrastructure, teacher shortages, and limited access to learning resources in rural areas.
During a recent question-and-answer session in the National Assembly, several Members of Parliament questioned whether schools across the country were adequately prepared for the transition. Concerns centered on the readiness of teachers, availability of ICT facilities, science laboratories, internet connectivity, and delays in distributing textbooks and learning materials.
Dewathang-Gomdar MP Tshering Penjor said that conditions observed during visits to rural schools did not reflect the ministry’s assurances that institutions were prepared for the curriculum reform. He pointed to shortages of computers, unreliable internet access, and insufficient teaching staff in remote areas.
Wamrong MP Lam Dorji also expressed concern over the increasing reliance on digital learning materials. He noted that many students in remote communities lack access to laptops and are unable to use mobile phones in school, making soft-copy resources impractical. He urged the government to conduct more balanced trials in both urban and rural schools before implementing large-scale reforms.
In response, the Education and Skills Development Minister defended the ministry’s preparations, stating that comprehensive assessments had been carried out before the rollout began. According to the minister, the government adopted a phased implementation strategy precisely because schools were not yet ready to introduce the curriculum across all grades simultaneously.
The minister also sought to ease concerns over textbook shortages, explaining that major disruptions were unlikely because only limited alignment with the new curriculum is required in some grades. For Classes IX to XII, he said, around 20 percent of the content needs adjustment, allowing schools to continue using many existing textbooks during the transition period.
The government aims to complete the development and alignment of textbooks from pre-primary to Class XII by 2027.
To support the reform, the education ministry has proposed more than Nu 674 million in the 2026–2027 financial year budget. According to the budget report, Nu 289 million has been allocated specifically for the rollout of the Cambridge-aligned curriculum in Classes IX and XI. The funding will cover teacher training, learning materials, digital resources, and assessment systems.
In addition, more than Nu 385 million has been earmarked for teacher development and leadership training as part of broader efforts to improve education quality nationwide.
While the government maintains that the reform is progressing as planned, lawmakers continue to stress that successful implementation will depend on addressing the significant disparities between urban and rural schools.
