ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has promulgated an ordinance to amend the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) Act, 1975, introducing key changes to improve the governance, efficiency and operations of the board. The new law will align the federal board with modern educational standards and technological advancements.
The president issued ordinance when the Senate and National Assembly were not in session. The major amendments introduced in the Ordinance have empowered the prime minister.
The ordinance replaces references to the “Federal Government” with the “Prime Minister” in multiple sections. This change centralizes decision-making authority for appointments and governance: The new law empowers the prime minister to directly appoint the FBISE chairman.
The chairman may be appointed either through direct recruitment or deputation of a government officer not below BS-20.The chairman’s term is now renewable, replacing the previous two-term limit, the law envisioned. The age limit for the eligibility of FBISE chairman has also been abolished.
Under the new ordinance, the prime minister will also oversee other critical decisions including those related to finances and policy directions.
The ordinance broadens the representation on the FBISE Board to include professionals from emerging fields with addition of new members like chief executive officer of the Software Export Board (SEB), chairpersons of IT departments from NUST and NUTECH, director of the National Curriculum Council (BCC) and Provincial Education secretaries from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. They have been added to ensure wider regional input in decision making and performance of the board. The new changes in the law aim at strengthening the board’s expertise in technology and curriculum development.
The ordinance expands the scope of FBISE’s responsibilities to meet current educational demands. FBISE can now assist examination boards in other provinces, promoting collaboration and standardization. FBISE is empowered to work with international and national boards to improve examination systems.
Under the new law, FBISE can establish regional offices across Pakistan, making its services more accessible to students and educators.
The ordinance updates designations, such as replacing the deputy secretary with a joint secretary, reflecting administrative upgrades. The amendments were made to address the evolving needs of Pakistan’s education sector, ensuring FBISE operates more efficiently and is equipped to handle emerging challenges in education and technology.
This ordinance came into force immediately upon its issuance and reflects the government’s focus on reforming education governance to benefit students and institutions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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