Punjab’s plan to formally introduce Artificial Intelligence as a subject for primary school students has been delayed due to a shortage of computer labs in government schools across the province. The Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority had already approved teaching AI to students from Grade 1 to Grade 5, with the subject originally planned for introduction in the upcoming academic year. However, the absence of adequate computer and AI lab facilities in government primary schools has stalled the rollout, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The delay in issuing a formal notification for the subject is also expected to affect the printing of AI textbooks, since preparation of the books cannot proceed until the curriculum receives official approval. Officials are now weighing an alternative approach that would introduce AI concepts as a chapter within existing subjects at the primary level rather than launching AI as a standalone subject. This proposal is reportedly under active discussion, largely because establishing dedicated AI and computer labs across thousands of primary schools in Punjab would require a substantial financial outlay that the province has not yet committed to.
Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority officials said matters related to teaching AI at the primary level remain under consideration, adding that a formal notification on the AI curriculum will be issued once final decisions are made. The delay comes months after Pakistan notified a comprehensive AI and Robotics curriculum spanning Grade 1 through Grade 12 at the national level, part of a broader push under the Digital Pakistan vision to build computational thinking and technology literacy into the school system from an early age. Punjab’s rollout for younger grades appears to be lagging behind that timeline as infrastructure gaps at the primary school level become apparent.
The situation highlights a recurring challenge facing technology focused education reforms in Pakistan, where curriculum design frequently outpaces the physical infrastructure needed to deliver it, particularly in government run primary schools that often lack basic computing equipment. Provincial authorities have pursued parallel efforts to expand digital infrastructure in schools, including initiatives with private partners to establish technology centers and provide devices, though these programs have so far been concentrated at higher grade levels. Whether Punjab opts for a standalone AI subject or an integrated chapter based approach at the primary level, officials indicate that budget considerations tied to lab infrastructure will remain the central constraint shaping the final decision.
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