The Punjab School Education Department has announced a major shift in its evaluation system, replacing traditional board examinations with a new assessment-based approach.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said the initiative aims to improve academic performance in grades nine and ten, while also reinforcing foundational skills from earlier years.
Initially, the assessment test will be introduced in government schools. For private institutions, board exams will become optional, with the next session expected in February or March next year.
As part of the reform, the eighth-grade assessment will be conducted by the Punjab Examination Commission for Testing and Assessment (PECTA), which will release comprehensive guidelines within the next 20 days.