Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the preparation of an accelerated and actionable reform plan for Islamabad's education system.

He was chairing a meeting of the Joint Committee on ICT Education Reforms in Islamabad today.

The Minister said the Prime Minister had also endorsed the proposal to establish an autonomous education authority for Islamabad Capital Territory.

Ahsan Iqbal called for coordinated efforts by all relevant stakeholders to translate the proposed reforms into a practical and time-bound framework aimed at improving the quality, accessibility and accountability of education in Islamabad.

He emphasised that the proposed authority should have a Board of Governors with an independent majority and a Chief Executive Officer selected on merit, with clearly defined functions, powers and terms of reference.

The Minister directed the relevant authorities to prepare the required legislation and a transition roadmap within 60 days, ensuring that the Federal Directorate of Education continues its operations without disruption during the transition.

Referring to the proposed recruitment of 1,100 teachers through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), Ahsan Iqbal called for reviewing the recruitment process and exploring a contractual hiring model to attract highly qualified and talented young professionals.

The meeting was informed that the Federal Directorate of Education currently oversees 432 educational institutions in Islamabad, alongside a significantly larger number of private schools, informal educational institutions and special education schools.