Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has directed the preparation of detailed proposals for restructuring the education sector in Islamabad, including the establishment of an autonomous education authority, with a 60-day timeline set for legislation and a transition roadmap, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. He gave the directions on Friday while chairing a meeting of the Joint Committee on ICT Education Reforms, where he said the Prime Minister had asked for an accelerated and actionable reform plan to improve governance and the quality of education in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The minister said the proposed authority should have a Board of Governors (BoG) with an independent majority and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) selected on merit, supported by clearly defined functions, powers, and terms of reference. He added that the authority should enjoy greater administrative and operational autonomy, with a mandate covering all education providers across Islamabad.
The relevant authorities were asked to prepare the required legislation and transition roadmap within 60 days while making sure the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) keeps operating without interruption during the transition. The minister observed that despite substantial government investment and higher spending on employees, public sector schools were not delivering results that match the resources available. Around 77 percent of the FDE expenditure ceiling is employee related, which he said highlights the need to improve institutional performance and ensure value for public money. Referring to the proposed recruitment of 1,100 teachers through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), he called for a review of the hiring process and for exploring a contractual model to attract highly qualified young professionals, and he suggested learning from an earlier Punjab initiative that recruited educated teachers on five-year contracts.
Ahsan Iqbal also directed officials to examine the legal aspects of the proposed appointments and to include provisions for local recruitment and school-based placements, so that unnecessary transfers are avoided and teachers stay connected with the communities they serve. On teaching quality, he said Pakistan should learn from international education models, particularly China and its emphasis on strong engagement between teachers and students, and that reforms should give priority to equity and student welfare alongside better teaching standards, curriculum, and learning outcomes. For school infrastructure, he said safe and functional buildings and facilities should come first, followed by a costed and verified improvement plan to bring every institution up to model standards, with particular attention to rural schools and the needs of girls’ education. Member of National Assembly (MNA) Raja Khurram Nawaz pointed to a shortage of facilities in government schools, especially the need for additional blocks for girls, and stressed the importance of a uniform curriculum across public and private schools to reduce disparities and the growing social divide among students.
During a presentation, the Planning Commission informed the committee that the FDE network currently comprises 432 institutions, while a much larger number of private schools, including low-fee, informal, and special education institutions, operate in Islamabad, and that ensuring quality facilities across all of them is also a government responsibility. Three working groups on infrastructure, governance, and academics have been formed following the directions of the Prime Minister and the first meeting of the committee. The proposed framework covers governance and institutional architecture, safe schools and standards, financing and school-level autonomy, teachers and school leadership, curriculum and foundational learning, assessment and accountability, and access and equity, supported by an implementation and sequencing plan. Parliamentary Secretary for Education Wajiha Qamar, the Secretary Education, Planning Commission officials, and private sector education experts also attended, and the minister called for coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to turn the reforms into a practical, time-bound framework.
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