Foundational learning to be part of IPEMC: Federal Secretary, MoFEPT

Roundtable at AIOU brings governments, academia, civil society and partners together around one shared agenda
Darain Shah
ISLAMABAD
Federal Secretary for Education Mr. Nadeem Mehbub has announced that foundational learning will be included as a key agenda item at the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference (IPEMC), marking a significant step towards strengthening coordinated efforts to improve children’s learning outcomes across Pakistan.
The announcement was made during the formal launch of the National Coalition for Foundational Learning (NCFL) Pakistan at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad. The national roundtable brought together representatives from federal and provincial education departments, academia, civil society organisations, development partners and the private sector to develop a shared agenda for foundational learning through 2030.
Held under the theme “Enhancing Coalitions for Foundational Learning: From a South-South Fellowship to a National Movement,” the event was jointly organised by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and the Pakistan Foundational Learning Hub of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFEPT).
Addressing the gathering, Secretary MoFEPT Mr. Nadeem Mehbub formally launched the coalition and emphasised the importance of bringing foundational learning into the national education policy dialogue. Its inclusion in the IPEMC agenda is expected to strengthen federal-provincial coordination, promote collective action and improve accountability for children’s learning.
The opening session featured remarks by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Amir Shah, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, AIOU, and Ms. Baela Raza Jamil, Chief Executive Officer of ITA. Other speakers included Mr. Qaisar Alam, Special Secretary Development and Managing Director of the Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation (ESEF), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Dr. Faisal Bari of IDEAS-LUMS; Dr. Ehtisham Anwar, Team Lead of DARE-RC; Dr. Adriana Conconi of Centro Lemann, Brazil; Ms. Deborah Kimathi of the Learning Generation Initiative; and Dr. Javed Malik, Lead of the Pakistan Foundational Learning Hub.
The roundtable highlighted the scale of Pakistan’s education challenges, with an estimated 25.37 million children aged 5–16 out of school. The figures include 9.60 million children in Punjab, 7.82 million in Sindh, 4.92 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 2.94 million in Balochistan. Participants stressed that addressing these challenges requires sustained collaboration among governments, education institutions and development partners.
Chaired by Senior Joint Secretary MoFEPT Syed Junaid Ikhlaque, a key session reviewed foundational learning initiatives across the provinces, with perspectives shared by representatives from Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Participants also discussed the evaluation of the South-South Fellowship Programme, with contributions from ASPIRE, the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE) and the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE). International speakers shared lessons from Brazil and other contexts on building effective coalitions and sustaining education reforms.
The convening also secured commitments from development partners, technical organisations and civil society representatives to support the coalition through consensus-based governance, innovative financing and a shared focus on equity. Participants formed working groups covering governance, innovative financing, content and curriculum, evidence and data, knowledge and practice, and policy, advocacy and communication. These groups will help define priorities and implementation pathways for the 2027–2030 period.
The discussions further emphasised gender equality, inclusion and technology as cross-cutting priorities in efforts to improve foundational learning.
The closing session featured remarks by Mr. Qaisar Alam, provincial delegates and ITA representatives, who discussed the coalition’s future direction and priorities for 2027–2030 and beyond.
The launch of NCFL Pakistan establishes a national platform for aligning existing initiatives, sharing evidence and knowledge, mobilising resources and strengthening collaboration among federal and provincial governments and their partners. The initiative aims to build a sustained national movement to improve foundational learning outcomes and ensure that children across Pakistan acquire the essential skills needed for lifelong learning.