The Pakistan Educational and Cultural Board was set up in 1967 by ETC Group's founder, the late Haji Mohammad Ashraf, and other patriotic entrepreneurs to provide education for underprivileged, expatriate children in Dubai on a non-profit basis.

ETC Group believes that education is essential for community growth and for economic progress. The Pakistani Islamia Secondary School was started in 1969 and focuses on providing education to Pakistanis from under-privileged backgrounds. Children were ferried from home to school in tough and challenging conditions and were taught in small, rented rooms with modest facilities. In 1972, the first school building was constructed to meet the increasing demand of the fast-growing Pakistani community. In 1987, following exponential growth in the Pakistani population, a larger campus that included fully furnished classrooms and well-equipped laboratories was constructed. This new campus was inaugurated in 1988 by the late President of Pakistan, General Zial-ul-Haq. In June 1992, the Pakistani Islamia Secondary School became known as the Pakistan Education Academy, Dubai.

In 1978, there was a pressing need for a school that would teach an English Medium syllabus. As a result, the Pakistani English Medium School (Pvt) Dubai was established. In April 1978, with 40 students and 10 staff, the school was opened. Since its inception, the school has maintained very high pass rates for its students. The school currently has 1,680 students and
150 teachers and staff and prepares its students for both O'level and A'level exams.

Over the years, ETC Group has supported numerous educational projects, enabling more than 5,000 students to graduate with GCSEs and A' Level certifications.