The Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC), in collaboration with the Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB), concluded a three-day capacity development workshop in Islamabad focused on shifting examinations from rote learning to conceptual, application-based assessment. The event brought together senior trainers, examiners and education experts from across the country to strengthen assessment practices and promote critical thinking among students.
The workshop was held at the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education auditorium and drew broad participation from education stakeholders. Sessions were designed for examiners, paper setters and assessors, with an emphasis on practical techniques to design and evaluate assessments that measure understanding, analysis and the application of knowledge rather than memorization.
Speakers at the closing ceremony underscored the importance of the initiative. The vice chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, praised the training for its potential to cultivate critical thinking and effective analysis among future generations, noting that such skills are essential for success in a competitive global environment. IBCC Executive Director Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah described conceptual examination as a necessary shift toward meaningful learning outcomes and away from rote-based approaches. Chairman FBISE Prof. Dr. Ikram Ali Malik framed the workshop as part of a longer journey toward conceptual learning that began in 2015 and welcomed the progress achieved through collaboration between IBCC and AKU-EB.
The workshop curriculum focused on modern assessment practices, student-centered learning and methods to promote higher-order thinking in exam design and marking. Trainers demonstrated practical strategies for creating items that test comprehension, analysis and problem-solving, and provided guidance on consistent, fair assessment standards.
Leadership and instruction for the workshop came from IBCC Deputy Director Sadia Naz Brohi, with key training contributions from AKU-EB experts Munira Mohammad, Ali Bejani and Kashif Hussain. Other IBCC representatives who participated included Directors Dr. Shahzad Ali Gill and Irfan Ali Ansari, along with Deputy Director Muhammad Nadeem.
Participants responded positively to the program, calling the sessions a milestone in educational reform and expressing confidence that the approaches shared will help move Pakistan’s examination system toward more meaningful, concept-driven assessment.
