Transforming research in education for informed policymaking in Pakistan

Islamabad:Education is the cornerstone of progress, and in recognition of its paramount importance, Oxford Policy Management (OPM) Pakistan organized a one-day Research Agenda Co-Creation Workshop under the Data and Research in Education - Research Consortium (DARE-RC) programme. This significant event, held at Marriott Islamabad, brought together a diverse array of participants, including public sector representatives at federal and provincial levels, national and international knowledge partners, civil society organisations, development partners, and academia.

The workshop aimed at setting the direction for the entire programme through chalking out the contours of the research agenda with a focus on learners, learning environment, and the overall education landscape in Pakistan. The research agenda will serve as a roadmap to prioritize and define the areas in which rigorous and impactful research will be conducted as part of the DARE-RC initiative.

The discussants included Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, Secretary, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional training (MoFEPT); Abdur Rauf Khan Gandapur, Country Director at OPM Pakistan; Haris Khalique, Programme Director, DARE-RC; Muhammad Zaigham Qadeer, Research Director at Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE); Kim Bradford Smith, Education Team Lead, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); Dr Jamila Razzaq, Research Director, DARE-RC; Dr Dilshad Ashraf, Deputy Research Director, DARE-RC; and Anza Saqib, Consultant Media and Research Education Parliamentarians’ caucus, Senate of Pakistan. The session was addressed as Chief of Guest by Madad Ali Sindhi, Federal Minister, MoFEPT

In his opening remarks, Abdur Rauf Khan highlighted the role DARE-RC is going to play in shaping the education landscape. He was of the view that DARE-RC is committed to promoting data-driven education policy that is rooted in comprehensive research as the programme places a strong emphasis on strengthening the research capacities of local academic institutions and think-tanks, enabling them to actively contribute to the educational transformation of the nation.

In his address as the Guest of Honour, Waseem Ajmal emphasized the foundational challenges in the education sector and the crucial role of researchers and relevant expertise in translating learning objectives into effective teaching materials.