Major education reforms underway as IBCC moves to regulate foreign boards: Dr. Mallah

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Mar, 2026) Executive Director, Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, on Friday said significant reforms were underway in Pakistan’s education regulatory framework for registration of foreign boards.

In an interview with APP, Dr. Mallah, who also holds the office of Chairman Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), and also a member of the ad-hoc committee for revival of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, explained that under the IBCC Act, foreign examination boards operating in Pakistan must be regulated by the IBCC.

Following the development of a regulatory framework, 15 standards were approved by the Board of Governors, while several international boards have already been registered, he informed.

According to him, six foreign boards have so far been regulated, which would offer A-Level–equivalent qualifications and the IGCSE equivalent to matriculation in Pakistan.

Other approved organizations include Pearson Edexcel, International Baccalaureate, and Learning Resource Network. The well-known Cambridge Assessment International Education is currently in the process of registration.

He said the regulation of foreign boards became necessary after issues surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Pakistan needed clarity on how foreign examination bodies conducted their exams and who regulated them. With IBCC oversight, the curriculum, fee structures, and compliance with Pakistan’s cultural and religious sensitivities could now be monitored.

Dr. Mallah also highlighted ongoing digital reforms within IBCC as part of the government’s Digital Pakistan vision. The organization is automating internal processes including accounts, human resources, and office operations. A new system is also being introduced to simplify the attestation process for students.

Under a pilot project with the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, students would no longer be needed to visit both their examination board and IBCC separately for document verification. Instead, the board’s database would be linked directly to IBCC through an online portal. Students would submit their application at IBCC, which would verify records digitally and complete attestation in one place. The system was expected to be launched before Eid, he added.

Discussing his role as Chairman of PEIRA, Dr.

Mallah said Islamabad currently has more than 1,500 private schools, most of which fell into the low-fee category. Only about five percent were elite schools charging higher tuition, while more than 75 percent charged less than Rs 5,000 per month.

He noted that several reforms had been introduced to ease procedures for private schools. Registration, which was previously granted for one year, would now be valid for three years. Moreover, the registration and renewal process had been fully digitized through the PEIRA portal, eliminating manual applications.

The authority had also fixed March and April as the official months for school registration and renewal each year to streamline the process. Schools must submit applications online, while inspection teams would verify original documents during field visits, he said.

On the issue of school fees, Dr. Mallah said that courts have allowed private institutions to increase fees by five to eight percent annually. Any increase beyond eight percent must be justified with valid reasons such as infrastructure improvements or additional services. The approved fee structure of each school will now be publicly available on the PEIRA portal to ensure transparency and allow parents to lodge complaints if violations occur.

Speaking about his role in the ad-hoc committee for hockey revival, Dr. Mallah emphasized the importance of rebuilding the sport at the grassroots level. The committee plans to establish under-15 and under-17 teams in schools and colleges across Pakistan through coordination with education boards.

He said that IBCC already organized competitions in more than 30 sports at the school and college level, progressing from inter-college to inter-board, provincial, and national competitions. However, he stressed that sports and co-curricular activities must be prioritized to ensure the holistic development of students.

“True development of a child is not possible through textbooks alone,” he said adding, “Sports and co-curricular activities play a vital role in building character, discipline, and physical fitness.”

Dr. Mallah expressed hope that with proper training, facilities, and school-level competitions, Pakistan could revive its hockey culture and once again would be able to produce strong international players.