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       ISLAMABAD: The education ministry has started work to set up the Islamabad Education Authority (IEA) to merge several educational departments in a bid to “promote” quality education in the federal capital.

       According to sources, a draft to establish the authority has been prepared and after consultations, a bill to this effect will be tabled in parliament for approval.

       Education Joint Secretary Syed Junaid Akhlaq told Dawn that the education authority was under consideration.

       An officer said several departments, including the Federal Directorate of Education, Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority, Basic Education Community Schools, National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and some other bodies would placed under the administrative control of the authority.

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       The proposed draft, which may be revised in light of further consultations, said it aimed to improve the standard of all educational institutions.

       Insiders say consultations on initial draft underway, bill in parliament to follow

       “It is expedient to establish an authority for promoting and ensuring quality education by designing and implementing multiple frameworks, standards, and criteria to improve [the] functioning of all educational institutions, enhance governance, transparency and accountability in education and to provide for matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto. Apart from this, fostering equity, inclusivity, culture of excellence, innovation and research, Public-Private Partnership would be the core areas to improve service delivery and set high standard(s) in [the] education sector,” read the draft of the Act.

       The body will ensure the provision of efficient and effective youth services, and provide students with finance, besides employing staff, including teaching and non-teaching in schools and seminaries.

       “The authority will help with all aspects of [a] child’s journey through education from admission to higher grades, getting transport to school, changing school, all issues relating to newcomer(s), special educational needs …” read the draft.

       The draft says the proposed authority shall consist of a chairperson, who shall be nominated by the government and has been a vice chancellor of any public university.

       One BPS-21 officer from the education ministry, the FDE director general, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education chairman, and the NCHD DG will be included in this.

       One professor each from Quaid-i-Azam University and Allama Iqbal Open University, the director of the National Curriculum Council, Directorate of Religious Education DG, the National Education Foundation chairman, one member from the Higher Education Commission, one educationist recommended by the HEC, a private sector representative, one MNA to be nominated by the National Assembly speaker.

       Functions of the authority

       As per the draft, the authority shall formulate policies, strategies and interventions to ensure the achievement of education goals and provide a policy framework.

       It will design standards for uniform curriculum, textbooks, teachers’ training, and assessment and examination for promoting equity across regions.

       It will also formulate a human resource framework articulating a criterion for appointment, capacity building, utilisation, performance evaluation, and disengagement of human resources of all education institutions, including the Federal Directorate of Education.

       It will also strengthen governance and coordination frameworks within the public education system and other allied departments, with the help of private providers and other stakeholders. Similarly, it will design and conduct mandatory training for education managers and teachers to enhance their capacity.

       Such training shall be mandatory for promotion in each grade and for this purpose the authority may seek assistance from the Federal College of Education, Secretariat Training Institute, and Pakistan Staff College.

       The draft said the authority would ensure efficient allocation and utilisation of resources.

       It will also formulate systems to reduce waste of resources. Moreover, it will enhance planning, monitoring, and evaluation for evidence-based decision-making.

       A robust monitoring and evaluation shall be put into place for this critical function and ensure transparency through regular assessments, as per the draft.

       The ‘Islamabad Education Authority Fund’ will also be set up, comprising grants from donors and a budget from the federal government, in addition to the revenue generated by the authority.

       Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2024