A quiet but devastating educational shift is currently unfolding across Punjab. The Government of Punjab and the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) mandated that Grade 9 Arts and Humanities group students must study the exact same Mathematics textbook as Science group students.
For decades, the educational path in Pakistan was structured with a clear understanding of students' diverse future needs. Science students studied formal, university-prep mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry), while Arts and Commerce students studied General Mathematics—a highly practical course centered on financial literacy, business calculations, and real-world economics.
"In moving from the previous General Mathematics textbook to the new unified 2026 Grade 9 Mathematics textbook, the curriculum has systematically stripped away all practical, real-world finance and business math that Arts and Commerce students rely on for daily survival."
پنجاب کے آرٹس اور ہیومینٹیز کے طلباء کے لیے یکساں ریاضی کا نصاب ایک بڑا چیلنج ہے۔ پرانی جنرل ریاضی کی کتاب میں مالیاتی اور کاروباری حساب کتاب شامل تھے، مگر نئی کتاب میں انھیں ختم کر دیا گیا ہے۔
📊 1. Proof from the 2026 Board Results
According to the official Gazette for the Secondary School Certificate (9th Class) First Annual Examination, 2026, issued by BISE Gujranwala, Mathematics emerged as the single lowest-performing core academic subject across the entire board.
| Subject | Appeared | Passed | Pass % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics (New Unified) | 248,348 | 151,967 | 61.19% |
| General Science | 71,890 | 46,859 | 65.18% |
| Computer Science & Entrepreneurship | 77,144 | 53,654 | 69.55% |
| Chemistry | 168,781 | 120,676 | 71.50% |
| Biology | 97,982 | 71,817 | 73.30% |
| Physics | 168,856 | 133,092 | 78.82% |
| Islamic Studies | 60,891 | 49,406 | 81.14% |
| English | 248,723 | 209,352 | 84.17% |
| Education | 27,390 | 25,060 | 91.49% |
| Elements of Home Economics | 8,384 | 7,705 | 91.90% |
| Islamiyat (Compulsory) | 243,980 | 227,644 | 93.30% |
| Urdu | 248,425 | 234,532 | 94.41% |
| Translation of Holy Quran | 244,202 | 231,656 | 94.86% |
Out of nearly a quarter-million candidates (248,348) who took the Grade 9 Mathematics examination in BISE Gujranwala in 2026, nearly 100,000 students failed Math outright, bringing the pass rate down to a dismal 61.19%.
2026 میں گوجرانوالہ بورڈ میں ریاضی کے امتحان میں تقریباً 100,000 طلباء فیل ہو گئے۔ یہ شرح 61.19% ہے جو کہ تمام مضامین میں سب سے کم ہے۔
⚖️ 2. What Has Been Removed vs What Has Replaced It
❌ Removed (Practical Financial Literacy)
- Zakat, Ushr, Inheritance – calculations of 2.5% Zakat, 10% Ushr, distribution of inherited property.
- Commercial Banking & Currency – PLS savings, profit/markup, foreign exchange, cheques, demand drafts.
- Leasing, Insurance, Installments – premium payments, depreciation, down payments, amortization.
- Consumer Mathematics & Utility Bills – gas, electricity, telephone bills, direct/indirect taxes.
- Arithmetic & Geometric Sequences – \( a_n = a+(n-1)d \), \( a_n = ar^{n-1} \), means.
- Business Percentage, Ratio & Proportion – compound proportions, inverse ratios.
زکوٰۃ، عشر، بینکنگ، انشورنس، بجلی اور گیس کے بل، تناسب اور شرحِ سود کے ابواب ختم کر دیے گئے۔
📐 Added (Abstract University-Prep Math)
- Formal Logic & Deductive Proofs – truth tables: \( [(p \to q) \land p] \to q \), converse/inverse/contrapositive.
- Trigonometry & Identities – \( (\sec \theta - \tan \theta)^2 = \frac{1-\sin \theta}{1+\sin \theta} \), \( \sin^6\theta + \cos^6\theta = 1 - 3\sin^2\theta \cos^2\theta \).
- Coordinate Geometry – distance formula \( d = \sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2+(y_2-y_1)^2} \), slope, normal form \( x\cos\alpha + y\sin\alpha = p \).
- Linear Inequalities & Programming – graphing feasible regions, optimization \( f(x,y)=2x+5y \) subject to constraints.
- Geometrical Similar Figures & Tessellations – volume scale factors \( V_1/V_2 = (l_1/l_2)^3 \), angles at vertices.
- Graphs of Functions – reciprocal \( y=\frac{a}{x} \), exponential \( y=ka^x \).
منطق، مثلثات، کوآرڈینیٹ جیومیٹری، لکیری پروگرامنگ اور گراف کے نئے ابواط شامل کیے گئے۔
Head-to-Head: Taxes vs Trigonometry
| Removed (Old General Math) | Added (New 2026 Grade 9 Math) | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| ❌ Domestic Electricity & Gas Bills | 📈 Graphs of Functions \( y=\frac{a}{x} \), \( y=ka^x \) | Moves from practical accounting to graphing continuous functions |
| ❌ Commercial Bank Accounts, PLS saving | 📐 Mathematical Logic (truth tables) | Replaces everyday banking with abstract symbolic logic |
| ❌ Car Leasing & Installments | 📐 Trigonometric Identities \( 1+\cot^2\theta=\csc^2\theta \) | Replaces real-world loan formulas with angle identities |
| ❌ Zakat & Ushr Calculations | 📐 Coordinate Geometry (normal form) | Replaces religious wealth calculations with coordinate proofs |
| ❌ Property & Income Taxation | 📈 Linear Programming (feasible region) | Replaces tax bracket analysis with multi-variable graph optimization |
عملی حساب کتاب (بلز، بینکنگ، زکوٰۃ، ٹیکس) کو ختم کر کے تجریدی ریاضی (منطق، مثلثات، کوآرڈینیٹ) کو شامل کیا گیا۔
🧑🏫 3. Key Action Steps for Math Educators (2026–2027)
For high school teachers now managing mixed Science/Arts classrooms under this unified curriculum, the following strategies can help bridge the gap and support struggling students:
🔄 Bridging the Gap
- Integrate practical financial examples (banking, tax calculations) alongside abstract topics to show real-world relevance.
- Use visual aids and step-by-step scaffolding for logic/trigonometry to reduce anxiety.
- Offer after-school support sessions specifically for Arts students struggling with abstract concepts.
📊 Assessment Adaptation
- Weight practical word problems more heavily in internal school assessments.
- Collaborate with Arts department teachers to contextualize mathematical applications.
- Provide tiered assignments (core + extension) to accommodate different learning paces.
اساتذہ کو چاہیے کہ وہ آرٹس کے طلباء کی مدد کے لیے عملی مثالیں دیں، بصری اوزار استعمال کریں، اور اضافی کلاسز کا اہتمام کریں۔
📢 4. Urgent Appeal to the Provincial Minister of Education
The 2026 board results from BISE Gujranwala provide concrete evidence that this policy is failing students. When a core subject sees nearly 40% of its total examinees fail, the issue lies not with student effort, but with curriculum design and policy execution.
Key Policy Demands:
- Restore General Mathematics for the Arts Group – reintroduce a distinct, updated General Mathematics syllabus tailored to non-science students, re-incorporating essential financial literacy, banking, tax calculations, and applied arithmetic.
- Provide Immediate Examination Relief – adjust the paper scheme and marking thresholds for upcoming examination cycles to ensure Arts students are not penalized unfairly.
- Re-align Mathematics Education with Real-World Career Goals – ensure Science students receive abstract preparation for engineering/technology, while Arts students receive practical financial and quantitative skills.
ہم پنجاب کے وزیر تعلیم اور پی سی ٹی بی کے چیئرمین سے اپیل کرتے ہیں کہ اس فیصلے کا جائزہ لیں۔ آرٹس کے طلباء کو ان کے مستقبل کے مطابق عملی ریاضی کی تعلیم دی جانی چاہیے۔
About the Author
Muhammad Tayyab – SSE (Mathematics), MSc Mathematics
Govt. Christian High School Daska | Hira Science Academy
Muhammad Tayyab is a subject specialist in Mathematics with over a decade of teaching experience. He holds an MSc in Mathematics from the University of the Punjab and currently serves as a Senior Subject Expert (SSE) at Govt. Christian High School Daska. He is also the founder of Hira Science Academy, where he champions conceptual learning and equitable education for Class 9 & 10 students across Punjab.
His analysis of the unified Math curriculum is grounded in classroom data and student feedback, and he actively advocates for curriculum reforms that respect diverse academic pathways.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions
Is the new math book the same for all students?
Yes, the 2026 unified Mathematics textbook is mandatory for both Science and Arts groups in Grade 9 across Punjab.
Why was the General Math book removed?
The PCTB and government replaced it with a single STEM-focused curriculum, citing "equality" in education standards.
What is the impact on Arts students?
Arts students now face abstract topics like logic, trigonometry, and coordinate geometry, leading to high failure rates.
What can parents do?
Parents can contact the Minister of Education, PCTB, and local MNA/MPA to advocate for the restoration of General Mathematics.