In a significant move to overhaul its education system, the Sindh government, in collaboration with leading academic institutions and international partners, has committed to using field-based research to drive meaningful and inclusive educational reforms. This approach was highlighted at a high-impact policy roundtable hosted by the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED, Pakistan).
The event brought together education policymakers, development partners, academics, and researchers under the Data and Research in Education Research Consortium (DARE-RC)—a pioneering initiative backed by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The roundtable underscored the importance of integrating on-ground, context-specific research into decision-making processes to address long-standing issues in the Sindh education sector.
A Shift Towards Evidence-Led Transformation
Participants emphasized a key message: policies made in isolation from real-world data are no longer acceptable. Field research—particularly in rural and underserved communities—can reveal the most pressing educational challenges and suggest realistic, scalable interventions.
Dr. Farid Panjwani, Dean of AKU-IED (Pakistan), stated that while research alone cannot change policy, it is an essential starting point. He noted:
“The DARE-RC project is unique because it’s bottom-up. All 18 studies are grounded in the realities of schools and communities across Sindh. These findings provide credible and actionable insights to improve learning outcomes.”
Strategic Focus Areas for Sindh’s Educational Future
The roundtable addressed four key pillars essential for systemic educational improvement:
- Equitable Access and Inclusion: Ensuring all children, especially from marginalized groups, have equal access to quality education.
- Strengthening Frontline Education Delivery: Enhancing support and resources for teachers, schools, and administrators to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
- Climate-Resilient Education Systems: Building infrastructure and curricula that withstand environmental disruptions such as floods and extreme heat.
- Governance, Management, and Data Use: Creating a transparent, accountable system where real-time data informs every layer of decision-making.
The event also marked the groundwork for Sindh’s upcoming Education Sector Plan (ESP), with stakeholders agreeing that future reforms must be grounded in evidence generated by DARE-RC and similar research-driven platforms.
Unprecedented Research Scale and Collaboration
Dr. Ehtasham Anwar, Team Lead of DARE-RC, described the initiative as:
“Pakistan’s largest and most ambitious education research collaboration. This is a historic moment where local realities are guiding national strategies.”
The DARE-RC initiative includes a network of researchers and institutions that have conducted 18 intensive studies across urban and rural Sindh. Topics range from school infrastructure and attendance to teacher capacity and gender disparities.
Global Support for Local Impact
Richard Yates, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Deputy High Commission in Karachi, emphasized the UK government’s commitment to long-term educational development in Pakistan:
“Education shapes futures. We’re proud to back a programme that not only promotes learning but ensures that research is at the heart of policy making in Pakistan.”
Organisers and Partners
The event was jointly organized by:
- Oxford Policy Management (OPM)
- Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED, Pakistan)
- Sightsavers
These organizations reaffirmed their commitment to sustained engagement with Sindh’s education sector and to helping scale field-tested innovations across the province.
