Islamabad  -  Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, during a meeting here on Monday with James Hampson, the Country Director of the British Council (BC) in Pakistan, and the Head of Education at the British Council, reiterated his commitment to advancing education and skills development in the province.

The Governor outlined his priorities, which include enhancing the quality of education, empowering youth and women through skill training programs, and forging partnerships between universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and their counterparts in England. These collaborations aim to bring global expertise to KP universities through student and faculty exchanges.

A key topic of discussion was the Governor’s vision for the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) KP chapter, which he presides over. The Governor emphasised the importance of innovative initiatives and expanding its reach for community service.

He also highlighted the immense potential of arts and design talent among university students in KP, particularly young women, and shared that a formal proposal for collaboration with the British Council on this initiative had already been sent.

James Hampson shared the British Council’s plans to establish a high-tech Skills Development Centre of Excellence at IM Sciences University, Peshawar. He invited the Governor to inaugurate the centre in January 2025.

The British Council team also briefed the Governor on the recently launched “GOAL” programme, aimed at enrolling 250,000 out-of-school girls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the merged districts.

They also discussed other impactful programs, including TVET (Technical and Vocational Education Training) and higher education initiatives being implemented across Pakistan.

Both sides agreed to collaborate further for the progress and empowerment of the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and decided to convene a follow-up meeting soon to formalize upcoming programmes.