The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Students in Classes IX and XI are piloting Bhutan’s revised school curriculum this year using digital copies and printed chapter-wise materials, as the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) continues to develop and test the full textbooks before large-scale printing.
A total of 143 textbook titles from Pre-Primary to Class XII are being rewritten, curated and technically developed as part of the country’s wider curriculum reform. Each title undergoes technical editing, fact-checking, peer review, proofreading, design and layout.
Rather than mass-printing the revised textbooks before they are used in classrooms, the ministry is using the 2026 pilot to test the materials and gather feedback from teachers and students.
“The pilot allows the ministry to identify factual or technical errors, assess usability, gather feedback from teachers and students, and make necessary revisions before committing to large-scale printing,” the MoESD said.
The ministry said the revised textbooks will undergo further review, refinement and proofreading after feedback from the pilot is incorporated. Development and production of the remaining textbooks are progressing according to the implementation schedule, with the 2026 experience expected to inform the finalisation and printing of materials for later phases.
The reform is being carried out under the direction of the Royal Kasho on Education and extends beyond textbooks to changes in curriculum and syllabus, teaching methods, assessment and examinations, learning materials and teacher preparation.
The revised curriculum is being aligned and benchmarked against Cambridge International Curriculum standards. However, the MoESD clarified that Bhutan is not adopting the Cambridge curriculum.
“They are not Cambridge textbooks adapted for Bhutan. They are developed with reference to international standards and benchmarks, while incorporating Bhutanese context, culture, values, history, language and national priorities, including Gross National Happiness,” the ministry said.
The revised learning materials place greater emphasis on conceptual understanding, competency development, critical thinking, problem-solving and applying knowledge in different contexts.
The curriculum is being introduced in stages. In 2026, the main pilot is being conducted in Classes IX and XI, ahead of the high-stakes Board examinations at the end of Classes X and XII. Science and Technology at the Pre-Primary level and Digital Technology and Innovation at Class IV are also being tested.
Classes X and XII are expected to move to the revised curriculum in 2027, while other classes continue with the existing curriculum and syllabus.
The MoESD said the phased approach is intended to allow the education system to learn from implementation before subsequent stages are introduced. Similar gradual approaches have been used in major curriculum reforms in countries including Singapore, Finland, England and Australia.
“In its own assessment of Bhutan’s reform, Cambridge has indicated that implementation and settling of the new system should be expected to take approximately three to five years,” the ministry said.
“The first year is therefore intended to generate evidence and learning for later phases, rather than to deliver every element of the reform at once,” it added.
The rollout has also generated feedback on teacher preparedness, the availability and usability of learning materials, professional development and logistical support. The ministry said teachers and students will need time to adjust to changes in curriculum content, teaching approaches, learning materials and assessment.
Teacher preparation is continuing alongside implementation, while the Colleges of Education are progressively aligning pre-service teacher education with the revised curriculum.
The rollout is being monitored through the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) program, conducted periodically with Cambridge under the Bhutan MEAL Framework.
The first year of monitoring is intended to identify how the revised curriculum is working in schools, where challenges are emerging and what changes may be needed. The ministry cautioned that initial findings should not be treated as a final assessment of the reform, as a comprehensive evaluation will require more time and evidence after the revised curriculum has been implemented more widely.
The MoESD described the 2026 rollout as the first phase of a multi-year national reform, rather than a one-year textbook production exercise. Subsequent phases will involve continued monitoring, professional development and further refinement of the curriculum, learning materials, assessment and other support systems.
