Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi has called for stronger cooperation between the federal government and provinces to address Pakistan’s education challenges, particularly the large number of out-of-school children (OOSC).
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Speaking at the 37th Inter-Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference (IPEMC), Sindhi stressed the need for a coordinated national approach to improve enrollment and the quality of education across the country.
The conference was specifically convened to discuss the “Formulation of Uniform National Strategy to Cater to the Issue of Out of School Children (OOSC)”. Education ministers and senior officials from different provinces participated in discussions on the challenges facing Pakistan’s education sector.
Sindhi said bringing out-of-school children into the education system remains one of the major challenges facing the country. He emphasized that increasing enrollment and improving the quality of education should remain key priorities.
The minister also highlighted the need to improve educational standards at schools, colleges and universities. He said sufficient resources were available to make meaningful improvements, but stressed that coordinated and sincere efforts were required from all stakeholders.
The federal education ministry said it would adopt an inclusive approach while developing strategies for the education sector.
The approach is intended to consider the needs of students, teachers and parents across all provinces and promote cooperation between federal and provincial authorities.
The proposed strategy also involves multiple stakeholders, including the public and private sectors, regulatory authorities, telecom operators, private security companies, academia and civil society.
During the conference, the minister was informed that Rs25 billion had been allocated to address the issue of out-of-school children.
Officials also provided updates on Performance-Based Grants being provided to provinces under the ASPIRE programme. The grants are aimed at supporting improvements in the education sector and strengthening provincial performance.
The conference also reviewed progress on the E-Taleem initiative, an electronic education programme designed to support the digital transformation of Pakistan’s education sector.
Officials also briefed participants about ongoing reforms in the assessment system of the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), including the notification of the syllabus for grades 9 to 12.
Another key initiative discussed was the establishment of a Foundational Learning Hub within the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. The hub was planned to support the launch of a Foundational Literacy Policy in 2024.
The 37th IPEMC provided a platform for federal and provincial education authorities to discuss common challenges and develop a coordinated approach to expanding access to education and improving learning outcomes across Pakistan.
