The Pakistan Education Regulatory Authority (PERA) has approved a comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual schools in Islamabad, marking a major step toward formalising online education in the capital.
For the first time, a structured system has been introduced for the registration and monitoring of online schools up to the higher secondary level. The policy is designed to expand access to education for out of school children, students in remote areas and individuals with special needs.
Under the new framework, virtual schools are required to provide digital teaching training for instructors, ensure cyber security measures and align their curriculum with national education standards.
Separate criteria have also been set for screen time limits and examination procedures, ranging from the primary level through to higher secondary.
PERA Chairman Dr Ghulam Ali Malah said the framework would serve as a model for other provinces to follow. He added that the framework, developed with the support of the Federal Ministry of Education, would play an important role in raising the countrys literacy rate.
