My great grandfather learned to find out algorithm from Punjab curriculum and textbook board class 9th Maths' book by using a log table sitting in the sunlight. My grandfather studied the same book and the same algorithm concept in Punjab textbook board class 9th Math book under the dim shades of the lantern. My father learned to find out algorithm from PTB class 9th Math book under 60 watts yellow light bulb. I'm learning to find out the same concept of algorithm sitting in LED light bulbs with 4G internet and still, I'm forced to use log tables instead of calculators like my great grandfather, grandfather, and father. The generations passed away, the world has extracted solar light from the sun, a calculator turned into high-speed computers but the fate and syllabus of Punjab textbook board class 9th Math book doesn't change.
This is not only the case with class 9th Math book but the Math books of Punjab curriculum and textbook board are unchanged after grade 6 for decades.
Class 7th students are learning to find out the square roots of large numbers manually and wasting their energies when the same answers can be derived from the calculators.
Now take a look at the biggest competitor of Punjab curriculum textbook board that is "Oxford University press books". Here is not the comparison of quality of publishing, price or the colorful illustrations of both textbooks but the comparison is of the content of both textbooks. Oxford University Press textbooks have been issued 3 revised edition of Math books in the last 10 years. All-new editions have been modified with newer concepts. The style and order of questions have been improved accordingly. Oxford books carry the concept of trigonometry and geometry from Math book 1 in such a way that their students grasp and digest the very important theorems at higher levels. Contrary, Punjab curriculum and textbook board books are overloaded with the concepts which are almost extinct. We don't find any concept of algorithm or the manual square root of big numbers in any of oxford books. Government school students have to ratify the theorems in class 9th and 10th because many teachers avoid teaching trigonometry in lower classes or the concepts are not well explained in the books.
This is the reason that students ratify the concepts but are not able to apply them in practical life. Punjab textbook board claims to update their syllabus with qualified authors but on scrolling the books, it is observed that many authors of Punjab textbooks are just MSc and don't have any higher qualifications. Punjab curriculum and textbook board books policy was revised in 2006. It was claimed to update the content of Punjab textbooks but there was an update or change with the publishers only with an addition of three-line statement at the inside cover of books which tells:
"This book has been published in accordance in accordance with National Textbook policy 2006 and the National Textbook and learning materials policy as per international standards."
Math and Science subject books are not updated accordingly. There is not an effort to improve the paper quality of textbooks, also most of the black and white illustrations are not updated in colorful printing in Punjab textbooks.
From a report in a renowned newspaper, Punjab textbook board correspondents "disclosed" that many new authors, publishing houses and journalists forced Punjab textbook authorities to publish their "substandard" textbooks but PTB was superconscious to meet their excellent standards, so PTB continues with their old syllabus and favorite publishers. Then what happened to privately published textbooks then?
After 2006, many private schools adopted privately published textbooks in their schools till grade 8 instead of Punjab textbooks because of their better standards. Many school opt Islamiyat books from PTB.
Privately published textbooks are not only having good paper quality but are decorated with colorful illustrations with reasonable price charges. Top private schools, garrison schools or street schools, all institutions are recommending privately published textbooks. Private published Science and Social studies books are better than Punjab textbooks in all respective areas.
Students are constrained to study Punjab textbook board books in grade 9th and grade 10th to appear in board exams when their competitors are studying and learning newer concepts in Cambridge and O level exams. There is a severe need to update, improve and change the syllabus of Punjab textbook board Math and Science books in higher classes if we want to see our wards in competition with the world.