Constitutional Federalism and Legislative Competence: The Single National Curriculum after Pakistan’s 18th Amendment

Abstrak

The introduction of Pakistan’s Single National Curriculum (SNC) in 2020 has triggered a constitutional dispute after the 18th Amendment of the 1973 Constitution devolved education to the provinces. This article examines whether the federal government retains constitutional authority to prescribe a uniform curriculum. Existing scholarship has focused on policy debates but has not systematically analysed the SNC’s constitutional foundation in light of post-Amendment jurisprudence. The study employs a doctrinal legal method. It analyses relevant constitutional provisions, including Article 25A (right to education), Article 140A (principles of local government), and Article 142 (legislative competence), together with Supreme Court decisions and intergovernmental coordination mechanisms. The analysis assesses the scope of federal authority and the limits of provincial autonomy in curriculum regulation. The findings show that the federal government may promote coordination and minimum standards. However, direct imposition of a uniform curriculum lacks a clear constitutional basis without structured provincial consent or constitutional amendment. The article clarifies the boundaries of legislative power in Pakistan’s federal system and argues for a cooperative model of education governance that aligns national objectives with constitutional devolution.