The Ministry of Education and Skills Development is aligning the National School Curriculum with the Cambridge standards and not adopting the Cambridge curriculum. According to the education minister, the alignment will focus on four key aspects, that is curriculum alignment, professional development, assessment alignment, and monitoring and evaluation.
Education minister Yeezang De Thapa said it is time to review the curriculum. The ministry is working to meet international standards while preserving Bhutan’s unique values, priorities, and identity.
Since January this year, the ministry has been reviewing the curriculum in collaboration with Cambridge, guided by a joint steering committee.
Cambridge curriculum is a globally recognised education system.
The minister said, “Till now, we have received technical support from Cambridge, and we are developing curriculum frameworks for key subjects such as STEM, Dzongkha, and English. We are consulting stakeholders and teachers here to develop it. The aligned curriculum will be rolled out in all schools across the country to ensure consistency and equity.”
The minister said teacher capacity development and orientation programmes for the revised curriculum will be held in September-October this year.
“Textbooks and teaching-learning materials will also be reviewed and co-developed to align with the revised curriculum frameworks. This process will begin in August 2025 and continue through the end of the year to ensure timely readiness for classroom implementation.”
The minister said the ministry is committed to a smooth, inclusive transition that strengthens education quality and equips learners with global competencies rooted in Bhutanese values.
Sonam Yuden