PESHAWAR: The elementary and secondary education department has launched school-based assessment (SBA) system, marking a major shift toward standardised, curriculum-aligned and evidence-based learning for public schools.
The launch event was held at Nishtar Hall, with minister for elementary and secondary education Arshad Ayub Khan as the chief guest and chief secretary Shahab Ali Shah, participating as the guest of honour, according to a statement issued here on Saturday.
Secretary elementary and secondary education Mohammad Khalid briefed the participants on the new assessment system.
He shared that nearly two million students had already been enrolled on the SBA digital portal, reflecting strong readiness across districts. He also announced that the launch marked the first province-wide assessment for all summer zone schools, conducted under the new standardised system, while winter zone schools would begin SBA immediately after the winter break.
Mr Khalid emphasised that the shift replaced inconsistent classroom-level tests with uniform, curriculum-aligned assessments for grades 3-8, covering English, Mathematics, Science, and General Knowledge.
“A secure digital dashboard now enables automated paper generation and DMC, access to an item bank aligned with student learning outcomes, and real-time data for teachers and school leaders,” the secretary education said
Speaking at the ceremony, Arshad Ayub said, “This is a historic moment for education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For the first time, we will receive reliable and comparable information about how children are learning in every school.”
He said the new system would help teachers identify gaps early and improve learning outcomes across the province.
He thanked the United Kingdom government, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Institute of Social and Policy Sciences, and the Bridging Technical Assistance to Government programme for their support in the development of the system, noting that their assistance helped build a practical, teacher-friendly portal and assessment tools.
Chief secretary Shahab Shah stated that SBA reflected the province’s commitment to good governance and data-driven decision-making. He noted: “KP continues to lead in education reforms that are rooted in evidence and transparency. The SBA system will provide clear, actionable insights that will help schools, districts and the provincial government respond more effectively to children’s learning needs.”
Secretary Khalid said shift to a semester-based academic cycle had enabled more frequent assessments, reducing learning losses and making classroom support timely and targeted.
Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025