In a sweeping reform of higher education, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has abolished all Bachelor of Science (BS) programs in public colleges, replacing them with two-year Associate Degree (AD) programs across the province.
The decision, formally announced through a notification issued by the Higher Education Department (HED) on Wednesday, marks a major policy shift aimed at addressing persistent challenges in the four-year BS system.
According to HED officials, the BS programs had long suffered from low student enrollment and alarmingly high dropout rates. Several specialized subjects within the curriculum were also found to be attracting little to no interest, prompting authorities to deem them redundant.
As part of the overhaul, BS programs in 36 government colleges have been terminated. In total, 230 BS programs running in 128 institutions have now been converted into the AD model.
The HED emphasized that the new associate degree structure will be more student-friendly, affordable, and better aligned with the province’s academic and socioeconomic needs. “This transition will streamline higher education and provide students with more accessible opportunities to complete their studies without facing the pressures of long-term enrollment,” an official noted.
Related: KP Launches Double-Shift School System to Improve Access
The move is expected to reshape the higher education landscape in KP, offering a shorter, more practical academic pathway for thousands of students across the province.