Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to introduce the semester system in private schools across the province, aligning them with the academic structure already implemented in government schools.
The decision was approved by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) during a recent board meeting, with support from private school representatives.
Officials said the move aims to reduce academic pressure on students and teachers while resolving transfer issues caused by differences between private and public school calendars.
Under the current setup, most private schools follow the annual examination system, conducting final exams in March and starting the new academic year in April. Meanwhile, government schools shifted to the semester system last year for students up to grade 8, with exams continuing until the end of May.
PSRA Managing Director Javed Iqbal said a committee formed by the Elementary and Secondary Education Department will determine the implementation timeline.
Education Secretary Mohammad Khalid stated that the semester system has shown positive results in government schools and is expected to help private school students by reducing learning gaps and academic burden.
