Educational reforms policies discussed in IBCC meeting

Islamabad:The Inter-Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) held its 180th meeting at the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) on Monday to discuss educational reforms and policies.

The meeting was chaired by Junaid Akhlaque, National Coordinator of the IBCC Forum/Chairman FBISE along with Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, Executive Director, IBCC, with active participation from chairpersons of all education boards and a diverse range of stakeholders in education and assessment. The first day of the meeting encompassed deliberations on various pressing matters to enhance Pakistan’s educational landscape. Progress on the Model Assessment Framework (MAF), aimed at standardizing assessment practices across regions, was presented before the Forum and was appreciated.

The development of a Digital Question Item Bank to align assessments with the proposed MAF was endorsed by the Forum. The Forum also reviewed and approved several critical policies to enhance the quality and inclusivity of education in Pakistan. In a move to promote equitable access to education, the Forum approved waivers of registration and examination fees for orphan students, alongside the inclusion of an orphan status column in examination registration forms to ensure targeted support for these vulnerable learners.

Recommendations to align examination schedules with university admissions schedules, particularly for medical and dental colleges, were also discussed and agreed by all regions to have a uniform calendar by starting examination in March/April and declaring results in June/July, reflecting a commitment to streamline academic pathways. Proposals to enhance the skills of teachers, assessors, and examination staff through structured training and certification programs under IBCC’s mandate were widely endorsed and termed as a significant leap forward to augment capacity-building initiatives.

Additionally, the Forum resolved to strengthen the Inter Boards Sports Committee (IBSC) and acknowledged the successful organization of national and international sports events by IBSCs of respective provinces.