CURRICULUM–ASSESSMENT ALIGNMENT IN BISE EXAMS: AN ANALYSIS USING BLOOM'S TAXONOMY

Abstract

This research investigates the alignment between question papers of the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) in Punjab, Pakistan, and the learning objectives specified in the national curriculum. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy as the analytical framework, question papers from English, Mathematics, General Science, and Physics across three major boards (Lahore, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi) were analyzed. Using systematic content analysis, every question was coded into one of Bloom's six levels of cognition: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The results showed a strong predominance of the lower-order thinking questions (comprehension and knowledge), with no substantial representation of higher-order abilities (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation). This is evidence of a mismatch between the desired learning outcomes of the curriculum and the actual methods used for assessment. The research suggests extensive training of paper setters, curriculum-examination review frameworks, and a greater focus on higher-order cognitive activities to improve the quality and validity of assessment in Pakistan's secondary education process.