PESHAWAR - The delegation from the Balochistan School Education Department, headed by Secretary Saleh Muhammad Nasar, visited Peshawar to observe the practical implementation of reforms and initiatives carried out by the Elementary and Secondary Education (E&SE) Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The delegation was welcomed by the provincial Minister and Secretary of Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The aim of the visit was to learn from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s success stories regarding community engagement for educational improvements and to replicate these strategies in Balochistan, particularly in the role of Parent-Teacher Councils (PTCs).
The delegation received a detailed briefing from Asfandyar Khattak, Special Secretary (Development), and Ms. Shazia Atta, Deputy Secretary (Reforms & Initiatives), on the structure and functioning of PTCs in the E&SE Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The participants engaged in an interactive discussion on the subject. The Balochistan delegation included Abdul Khaliq Achakzai (Chief Planning Officer, School Education Department), Zahoor Ahmed (Project Director), and Umer Orakzai (Pakistan Alliance for Math and Science).
Masood Ahmed, Secretary of Education Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also shared insights into the various policy decisions made by the provincial government to enhance the practical functioning of PTCs and improve the quality of education across the province. The delegation exchanged views with Secretary Ahmed regarding policies to reduce the number of out-of-school children (OOSC) in the province.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Minister Faisal Tarakai also met with the delegation and highlighted that the current government has implemented several reforms in the education sector in a short span of time. The budget allocation for education further reflects the government’s commitment to improving educational standards in the province.
At the end of the visit, the delegation from the Balochistan School Education Department thanked the officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department for their time and hospitality. As a token of goodwill, the Education Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa presented a souvenir to the guests.