The University of Oxford has signed a significant contract with the Malala Fund to support the Pakistani NGO Durbeen in training teacher-educators in Pakistan through a groundbreaking program, announced Shehzad Roy, the renowned musician and advocate for educational reform.
In an interview at Oxford University, Roy thanked Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai for her role in establishing the partnership. He explained that this collaboration between Oxford and Durbeen focuses on designing a curriculum for an M.S. program aimed at preparing educators who will go on to teach the B.Ed. program in Pakistan’s Teacher Training Institutions.
The M.S. program offers five specialization tracks—Language, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, and Educational Psychology—to prepare teacher-educators in each area to deliver specific B.Ed. courses. This initiative aims to develop a cadre of trained professionals capable of transforming teacher education institutions across Pakistan, fostering a new generation of highly qualified school teachers. Key contributors to this partnership include the Malala Fund, Shehzad Roy (founder of Zindagi Trust), Salma A. Alam (CEO of Durbeen), Dr. Ann Childs, Dr. Aliya Khalid, and Dr. Ian Thompson from Oxford.
Dr. Ian Thompson noted that he visited Karachi and other parts of Pakistan to observe current teacher training methods, which informed the program’s development. “This tailored program will significantly benefit teacher-trainers,” he said, acknowledging the collaborative effort from colleagues in Pakistan.
Shehzad Roy emphasized the program’s potential impact on future generations, stating, “If teachers aren’t properly trained, children miss out on critical thinking and analytical skills essential for today’s world. This program targets trainers, aiming to improve educational standards for years to come.”
Salma Alam called the initiative a milestone for Pakistan, especially as it establishes teacher-educators as a distinct professional group— a first for the country and rare globally. “Quality education begins with capable teacher-educators. Until we strengthen this foundation, we cannot build a professionally qualified teaching workforce. This partnership with Oxford and the Malala Fund is the change Durbeen is working towards,” she said. Alam concluded by stating that the initiative represents the start of Pakistan’s journey toward becoming a center of educational innovation.
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