Ministry of Federal Education’s Flagship Initiatives Receive Full Support at 36th IPEMC
Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, responsible for Federal Education and Professional Training, took charge of the 36th Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The conference was attended by key figures including Mansoor Qadir, Minister of School Education Department/Higher Education Department Punjab; Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Minister of Education & Literacy Department Sindh; Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, Minister of Universities & Boards Sindh; Sardar Naseeb Ullah Mari, Minister of Secondary/Colleges/Higher & Technical Education Department Balochistan; Rehmat Salam Khattak, Advisor (Minister In-Charge) to CM on Elementary and Secondary Education Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Irshad Qaiser, Minister of Higher Education Department & Information Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Raja Muhammad Azam Khan, Minister of Education Department Gilgit Baltistan; Zahid Khan, Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Department AJK; and Khalid Mehmood Mirza, Secretary of Higher Education Department AJK. Additionally, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, Secretary of Education, senior officials from the Federal Education Ministry, and representatives from provincial/regional education departments of Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, Punjab, AJK, and Gilgit Baltistan were also present.
In his opening remarks, Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted the pivotal role of the conference in fostering collaboration to ensure education access throughout Pakistan. He stressed the Education Ministry’s commitment to an inclusive approach that benefits students, teachers, and parents in every province. Emphasizing the significance of the IPEMC’s contributions, he discussed the importance of enrolling Out of School Children (OOSC) and implementing various distance learning interventions. The minister underscored the need for developing a framework for data sharing and assured the provinces of maximum facilitation to reap the benefits of these projects.
Secretary of Education, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, warmly welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the IPEMC’s core agenda. He shared details about the grants allocated to provinces under the ASPIRE project, emphasizing their role in improving educational access in disadvantaged areas. Chaudhary also briefed the attendees on flagship initiatives related to distance learning, Out of School Children, curriculum reforms, and the upcoming foundation learning conference organized by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MOFEPT). He encouraged provinces to contribute to the implementation of these initiatives for optimal outcomes.
The conference commenced with a comprehensive overview of the National Distance Education Strategy, encompassing its vision, learning goals, and objectives. The strategy received full endorsement from the provinces, who assured the Ministry of aligning their plans with the strategy.
During the meeting, a representative from MOFEPT presented on the enrollment of Out of School Children (OOSC) at the federal and provincial levels. The representative highlighted the rigorous launch of the model Universal Enrollment Pilot Project in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in collaboration with implementation partners. The progress of the initiative, aimed at reducing OOSC to zero in ICT by June 30, 2023, was monitored daily by the Secretary of Education. MOFEPT emphasized that after successfully piloting the ZERO OOSC initiative in ICT, it would be replicated nationwide. Provinces expressed their full support and committed to facilitating the enrollment drive across Pakistan.
The National Curriculum Council presented on interprovincial coordination for implementing the core curriculum, leading to important decisions on enhancing the quality of textbooks, teachers, and assessments throughout the country.
Provinces acknowledged and appreciated the Teleschool Pakistan App, pledging complete support to expand its enrollment nationwide.
The meeting also endorsed the National Education Management Information System (EMIS) for Data Standardization of Framework under the Data and Research in Education (DARE) project.
Another presentation highlighted the two-day International Foundational Learning Conference organized by MOFEPT in June. Participants were informed that Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Accelerating Foundational Literacy were integral to Pakistan’s national agenda. The conference aimed to reaffirm the commitment of federal and provincial governments while seeking consensus from all federating units to increase focused investment in the future of Pakistani children.
In a significant gesture, Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain presented grant cheques totaling PKR 5400 Million to Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces under the ASPIRE Project, facilitating educational access in disadvantaged areas. The provinces had previously received a grant of PKR 3240 Million under the same project during FY 21-22.
At the conclusion, Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain expressed gratitude to the provincial representatives for their active participation and valuable contributions.
