Wajiha highlights Pakistan's educational challenges

Islamabad: State minister for education Wajiha Qamar on Wednesday addressed the Education World Forum 2025 gathering of education ministers in London and highlighted her moving personal story from a village to leadership.

She also highlighted the challenges and progress of Pakistan across girls’ education, foundational learning, data and skills. The minister, who led a high-profile delegation of Pakistani officials and educationists to the moot, called for action to transform Pakistan’s education landscape.

She welcomed global and local partners, including the incredible efforts of What Works Hub and Global Education, for their support in reshaping education in Pakistan. Wajiha Qamar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring universal, quality, and equitable education for all – aligned with SDG 4 and national priorities.

She stressed the power of evidence-based policymaking, urging smart investments and scalable models grounded in real data and local context. The minister highlighted the importance of federal-provincial coordination under the 18th Amendment – emphasising vertical alignment, shared learning, and avoiding duplication.

She also addressed key challenges like learning poverty, teacher quality, equity, and system resilience – while laying out clear priority areas for action. Wajiha Qamar encouraged provinces to partner with What Works Hub to co-design and test impactful interventions, especially for foundational learning and gender equity. She proposed a federal-provincial innovation platform to scale what works, backed by long-term partnerships and local capacity building.