Islamabad, May 8, 2026 — Pakistan’s education system has come under fresh scrutiny after lawmakers were told that nearly 17,000 children in Islamabad remain out of school and an alleged Cambridge Mathematics paper leak has cast doubt on the credibility of an international examination board.
During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education, officials said thousands of children across 30 union councils in the federal capital are currently deprived of formal schooling. Joint Secretary Education Hameed Niazi said a survey has been completed and authorities have set a deadline of May 30 to enroll all out-of-school children.
The session, chaired by Acting Chairperson Syeda Aamna Batool, heard briefings from the Ministry of Education, the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) and NAVTTC. Committee member Shazia Soomro sharply criticized the ministry’s leadership, noting the absence of both the Education Secretary and the Minister from meetings attended regularly by lawmakers.
Director General Education Junaid Akhlaq told the committee that federal government schools are admitting students on merit and currently have capacity for about 32,000 more students. Former PEIRA chairman Ghulam Ali Mallah said authorities have identified 50 unregistered schools operating in Islamabad and have formed inspection teams to take action.
Mallah also noted a new legal obligation for private schools to reserve 10 percent of seats free of charge for deserving students. Of roughly 1,600 private schools, about 500 have submitted compliance reports so far.
Separately, the committee raised serious concerns about reports that a Cambridge Mathematics paper was leaked. IBCC officials said Cambridge has acknowledged the incident and has been asked to provide a detailed explanation. Shazia Soomro warned that while Pakistan’s domestic examination systems often face criticism, the controversy threatens confidence in the transparency and reliability of the international Cambridge system as well.
This report is based on a syndicated feed from ANI and coverage by The Express Tribune.
