The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department has formally ended BS programs in its government colleges, citing persistently low enrollment and a surge in student dropouts as the main reasons.
A notification issued this week confirmed that 230 BS programs across 128 colleges have been shifted to Associate Degree (AD) programs.
The move follows an internal review that concluded BS courses in several subjects were not only underperforming but also unnecessary in the provincial education setup.
In at least 36 colleges, entire subject streams have been closed, with officials releasing a detailed list of changes. Authorities argue that the new AD programs will help students complete their studies within two years, reducing both costs and dropouts.
The department added that many students had struggled with the longer BS format, while families often could not sustain four-year expenses. By contrast, the AD framework is designed to provide shorter yet market-relevant qualifications.