ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Thursday emphasized that transparency is a fundamental pillar of good governance and democracy, adding that technology provides an effective means to promote transparency, accountability and public confidence in institutions. Minister said this at launching ceremony of Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PIERA) Digital Services initiative here at Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) building.
PEIRA is a regulatory body of all private schools of Islamabad.
According to PEIRA this initiative marked a major step towards paperless regulation, greater transparency, institutional efficiency and improved public facilitation in Islamabad’s private education sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Siddiqui commended the authority for using technology to make regulatory processes “more transparent, accessible and citizen-friendly.”
Highlighting the importance of digital transformation, he said that facilities such as online registration and renewal, e-licensing, complaint redressal, attestation and migration services are necessities of a modern regulatory system rather than optional services.
He observed that citizens and educational institutions should be able to access essential regulatory services conveniently without unnecessary paperwork, delays and repeated visits to government offices.
Meanwhile, Acting Chairman PEIRA Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah expressed his appreciation to education ministry for “its continued support, guidance and encouragement in advancing PEIRA’s reform and digital transformation agenda,” he said.
“Regulators must also be facilitators. Our responsibility is to facilitate educational institutions while ensuring quality education, institutional accountability and implementation of government policies,” he stated.
He highlighted the critical contribution of the private education sector to the federal capital, noting that private educational institutions account for around 60 per cent of the total student enrolment in Islamabad. He said that constructive engagement with private institutions, coupled with effective regulation and quality assurance, is essential for strengthening Islamabad’s education system. Dr. Mallah further stated that digital transformation is not merely a technological upgrade but an institutional reform aimed at making regulatory services faster, simpler, more transparent and accessible. The initiative seeks to reduce paperwork, minimize unnecessary physical visits and provide stakeholders with a more responsive regulatory environment. Member
Academics PEIRA Imtiaz Ali Qureshi also spoke on the occasion.
Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2026
