14th Annual Convention (2023) - Build Back Better: Transforming Politics, Policy and Practice

When: November 2023 · Where: Islamabad

Intro:

With elections approaching, PCE used its 14th Annual Convention to push education to the centre of political discourse. The day ran in two sessions — a youth dialogue, and an expert policy discussion — and closed with a Charter of Demands built with grassroots stakeholders.

Session 1 — Youth Dialogue on Education Reforms and Youth Participation A dialogue bringing young people together with educators, civil society, and experts to design solutions across resilient education, safe education, technical & vocational education, and gender & inclusivity — and to generate recommendations for political-party manifestos.

Zehra Arshad (National Coordinator, PCE) opened the dialogue by welcoming the participants and setting the tone by urging youth to actively voice their thoughts on education challenges. She said,

"There is a strong disconnect among youth and other stakeholders. We are trying to bridge this gap"

She also stressed the importance of political leaders prioritizing education and called for a common "Charter of Education". She drew attention to the increasing number of out-of-school children in the country and urged for an education emergency to address this issue.

Urwa Naeem (Program Associate, PCE) connected with our dynamic youth, providing insights into the current state of education in Pakistan. She emphasized the importance of understanding education policies and stressed on educating girls to empower them to understand their rights. 

Mr. Nouman Alam (Program Officer PCE) delved into resilience in education, highlighting the necessity for actionable emergency response plans. He shed light on the devastating impacts of disasters on the education system of Pakistan and called for increased funding and awareness to curb these issues. He said:

"One of the biggest dilemmas of Pakistan is that whenever we face a disaster, education is the most affected sector. We have no plans for disaster management that's why we lack resilience in education"

Passionately advocating for empowering tomorrow's leaders, Mr. Muhammad Irfan Sultan, a youth activist, stressed the pivotal role of the younger generation in shaping the educational landscape through active participation. He also shared some best practices which could be followed to enhance youth participation in education. He stated:

"Youth involvement in policy making is the dire need of time!"

Interactive Session

During the interactive session, we conducted a productive write-shop activity with youth. These young participants, hailing from diverse backgrounds, collaborated to formulate innovative solutions in various domains of education, ranging from Resilient Education and Safe Education to Technical and Vocational Education, and Gender and Inclusivity. Following are the key takeaways of the activity:

• Education budgets need to be responsive to the needs of diverse groups including girls, PWDs, transgender and other marginalized groups.

• Education institutes need to have adequate infrastructure to cater the needs of diverse groups.

• Cash voucher schemes should be introduced for students from underprivileged communities.

• Decentralization of education resources is required to enhance access to education in grassroots communities.

• Repurpose education and make it skill-based, future career-oriented and aligned with the evolving demands of the job market.

• Instigate critical changes in the curriculum to mainstream skill-based and technical education into the existing framework. It should also highlight the threats to Pakistan's education system and strategies to make it more resilient to disasters.

• Proper disaster management plans should be developed and implemented to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters within educational institutions.

• Use technology to map out upcoming disasters and plan accordingly to mitigate the risks associated and encourage learning continuity.

• A specific budget should be allocated to improve educational access and robust recovery post disasters.

• Teachers should undergo training to enhance their capacities, enabling them to effectively manage and educate a diverse group of students.

• Educational institutions should implement strong monitoring and security systems to create a safe learning environment.

• Safe transportation options should be available for students, ensuring they can travel to and from school without compromising their safety.

• Schools should promote mental health awareness and provide counseling services to address the psychological well-being of students.

• Educational institutions should engage families through education and counseling programs. This helps create a supportive network that contributes to the overall well-being and success of students.

• Strict legal measures should be in place to prohibit early marriages and child labor, ensuring that children are protected from exploitative practices and have the right to be educated.

• Students should be provided with self-defense training to empower them with skills that enhance their safety.

• Financial support mechanisms should be established to assist students who face economic challenges in affording their education.

With great zeal and fervor, the young activists presented their well-thought-out ideas and lobbied for greater participation of youth in shaping education reforms. Additionally, they stressed the need for establishing effective channels to mobilize youth engagement and guarantee that their voices are adequately represented and heard.

Session 2: Policy Discussion with Experts on Transforming Politics, Policy and Practice

The second session featured a policy discussion on "Transforming Politics, Policy and Practice" and brought together key figures to discuss pressing issues in education. Zehra Arshad, National Coordinator, PCE, set the context by outlining the session's objectives. The session aimed to delve into transformative measures in politics, policy, and practice within the realm of education. The overarching goals included fostering inclusivity, enhancing access, and fortifying the resilience of the education sector. This session aimed to inspire actionable strategies and collaborations that could contribute to positive, lasting changes in the landscape of education in Pakistan.

Panelists: Nayyab Ali (Executive Director of Transgender Rights Consultants Pakistan, and TG Activist UNDP Pakistan); Izza Farrakh (Senior Education Specialist, World Bank); Itfaq Khaliq Khan (Senior Program Manager, Sightsavers); Rahat Rizwan (Education Coordinator, IRC UK); Dr. Shahid Soroya (DG, PIE); and Dr. Muhammad Jehangir Khan (Associate Professor, PIDE).

• Nayyab Ali pointed to a 19% literacy rate and 81% exclusion among transgender people, and weak implementation of the Transgender Rights Protection Act.

• Izza Farrakh highlighted Pakistan's 78% learning poverty rate, urging teacher training, resources, and a focus on foundational reading and math.

• Itfaq Khaliq Khan noted that a large share of out-of-school children are children with disabilities, and called for accessible infrastructure and reliable data.

• Dr. Shahid Soroya announced a national data-standardisation framework and shared that Islamabad's zero-out-of-school campaign had enrolled 70,000 of 80,000 identified out-of-school children, with real-time data on PIE's open data portal.

In closing, Zehra Arshad unveiled a Charter of Demands developed with grassroots stakeholders, calling for an education emergency and a consensus Charter of Education. [Link COE here]

Alongside the convention — Civil Society Learning Event

•  see Capacity Building & Trainings

Watch & see: [livestream]

[photo gallery]