Karachi April, 2024: The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), in
collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Pakistan hosted a dynamic policy dialogue
on ‘Overcoming Educational Policy Challenges through Better Governance’.
The event served as a platform for engaging experts and stakeholders, fostering innovative
strategies for governance enhancement, gaining valuable insights into improving educational
outcomes, and contributing to the development of a comprehensive policy roadmap for
sustainable progress.
The distinguished panel featured prominent figures including Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Dean of
the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science
and Technology (SZABIST); Ms Sadiqa Salahuddin, Founder and Executive Director of the
Indus Resource Centre; Professor Farid Panjwani, Dean of AKU’s Institute for Educational
Development; Mr Jamil Ahmed Khan, Former Ambassador and Advisor to the President at
AKU; Ms Maleeha Manzoor, Member of the Sindh Provincial Assembly; Ms Nausheen Adnan,
Member of the Punjab Assembly and CM Advisory Committee on Education; and Mr Sukhdev
Hemnani, Board Member of the Sindh Human Rights Commission. The sessions were moderated
by Mr Peter Jacob, Executive Director, and Ms Tayyaba Rafiq, Project Coordinator, both
representing the Centre for Social Justice.
Reflecting on the importance of effective policy implementation, Professor Panjwani
emphasized, “The true success of policy lies not just in its creation, but in its effective execution.
Bridging the gap between policy and action requires strong collaboration across stakeholders. It’s
through open dialogue and a focus on shared goals that we can unlock the full potential of our
education system. By fostering continuous communication and accountability, we can ensure that
sound policies translate to real benefits for our students and the nation.”
The event also featured an insightful analysis of education manifestos by AKU-IED students.
They established 16 parameters, including education for out-of-school children, character
education, inclusive education, gender disparities, mental health of students and teachers,
technology challenges and more. Based on these parameters, they developed a rubric to evaluate
the manifestos and assess the performance of their respective policies.
In his closing remarks, Mr Jacob of CSJ welcomed the government’s education reform
announcement saying, “We are hopeful that the current dialogue will continue and will help to
improve educational standards and leading to increasing the quality to education system overall.”
