British Council Committed to Supporting Students Through Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The single biggest thing the British Council does in Pakistan is deliver exams, which helps young Pakistanis gain access to and benefit from world-class UK qualifications.

During the May-June 2024 exams session, our team went above and beyond to turn candidates’ dreams into reality. Rahima Atif, a determined student with Marinesco-Sjögren Syndrome and associated severe physical challenges, dreamed of sitting for her IGCSE exams. Rahima’s academic potential, combined with her zeal for learning and immense hard work, made it clear that her challenges would not stand in the way of her pursuit of education. Her school principal contacted the British Council’s Account Relationship Team (ARM) — Tahir Mahmood Abbasi, Sidra Naseer, and Rawat Abbasi — in February 2024 to explore arrangements for the May-June exam session.

To make Rahima’s exam journey as smooth as possible, the team took swift action, securing digital question papers and arranging for extra time, rest breaks, a scribe, and a prompter. Not only was this great customer service, but it also reflected our unwavering commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. In advance of the exam day, our team reassured Rahima through a pre-exam walkthrough and constant support. Our team was also present on the exam days to help further ease Rahima’s anxiety and to provide comfort to both her and her mother.

Through her determination and our team’s tireless efforts, Rahima successfully completed her exams, a testament to her academic dedication and perseverance. Her mother expressed heartfelt gratitude in a letter, summing up our purpose below:

“It is evident that the British Council is not only committed to facilitating academic success but also to nurturing the future lives and careers of students, regardless of their challenges. Your dedication to creating inclusive environments where every student can thrive is truly commendable and deeply appreciated.”

At the British Council, we aim to create opportunities and reduce barriers for everyone, and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) run through our work around the world, whether in the arts, society, through inclusive education, teaching English, or offering exams. Our goal is to develop inclusive program and projects that bring together people with different experiences and backgrounds to make everyone’s experiences richer, and ultimately lead to more inclusive societies. To read more about our EDI policy and work across the world visit https://bit.ly/4hmOvie