KP Bars Unregistered Private Schools From Board Exams

By Aftab Ahmed • February 23, 2026

The Elementary and Secondary Education Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has issued a strict directive barring students from unregistered private schools from appearing in matriculation and intermediate board examinations.

This decision targets private high and higher secondary schools that have not registered with the KP Private Schools Regulatory Authority (KP-PSRA).

Officials identified a total of 387 unregistered private schools affiliated with eight education boards across KP, including merged districts. Despite lacking official registration, these schools had continued to enroll students for board exams, prompting the government to take action.

The breakdown of unregistered schools by board is as follows: 196 with the Peshawar Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, 100 with the Swat Board, 47 with the Mardan Board, 15 with the Abbottabad Board, 12 with the Bannu Board, 10 with the Malakand Board, and 4 with the Dera Ismail Khan Board.

Under Section 21 of the KP-PSRA Act, 2017, no private school can operate in the province without registration, regardless of its board affiliation. The Education Department has instructed all education boards to immediately de-affiliate these unregistered schools and prevent their students from sitting in upcoming matriculation and intermediate examinations.

KP-PSRA has already registered 11,587 private schools in the province. Authorities have stated that formal de-affiliation proceedings for the unregistered schools will commence after receiving approval from the Chief Minister.

This move aims to ensure compliance with educational regulations and maintain standards across private educational institutions in the province.