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The Critical Urgency Of Turning Around Pakistan’s Broken Education System

Wednesday, October 8, 2014 // 9:15am — 4:00pm

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Photo: Asianet-Pakistan/Shutterstock

Over a third of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 15, yet it has the world’s second highest number of children out of school. Pakistan’s youth could be the nation’s greatest asset – or its biggest liability. Turning around Pakistan’s broken education system holds the key to a more peaceful and prosperous future for a country in one of the world’s most volatile region

Welcoming Remarks
  • Danial Noorani
    Chief executive officer, The Citizens Foundation, USA
  • Michael Kugelman
    Senior fellow, Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson Center
Event Speakers
  • Faisal Bari
    Country director, Open Society Foundations
  • Jumaina Siddiqui
    Program manager – Pakistan, National Democratic Institute
  • Ahsan Salim
    Founding director, The Citizens Foundation
  • Dr. Irfan Muzaffar
    Researcher, Education & Social Research Collective
  • Bruce Reidel
    Director and senior fellow, Brookings
  • Dr. Liesbet Steer
    Fellow, Brookings Center for Universal Education
  • Dr. Douglas Johnston
    President and founder, International Center for Religion & Diplomacy
  • Baela Raza Jamil
    Team leader, ASER Pakistan
  • Mushtaq Chhapra
    Chairman & founder, The Citizens Foundation
  • Saad Rizvi
    Senior vice president, Pearsons
Location

Wilson Center
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center,
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza,
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20004

Conference Agenda
  • 8:30am Registration and continental breakfast
  • 9:00am Welcome and Opening Remarks
    Danial Noorani, CEO, The Citizens Foundation, USA
    Michael Kugelman, Senior, Program Associate, Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars

  • 9:15am Impact of the “Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill” and “Devolution” on education reform.
    Faisal Bari, Country Director, Open Society Foundations Public Sector.

  • 9:35am Public Sector. How Pakistan’s political parties are approaching education reform. The role of international donors, and their interaction with the political parties and provincial governments. Education Sector Plans of the Sind Government.
    Jumaina Siddiqui, Program Manager-Pakistan, National Democratic Institute

  • 9:55am TCF model: providing a quality education, at a low cost in formal schools.
    Ahsan Saleem, Founding Director, The Citizens Foundation (TCF) Private non-profit sector.

  • 10:15am Coffee Break
  • 10:30 School adoption as an option. Other forms of partnership. The growth of the low fee for-profit private sector.
    Irfan Muzaffar, Researcher, Education & Social Research Collective Public – Private Partnership

  • 10:50am PANEL DISCUSSION and Q&A-Education Reform the right mix.
    Faisal Bari
    Ahsan Saleem
    Irfan Muzaffar
    Jumaina Siddiqui
    Fouzia Saeed
    Investing in public versus private schools. Investing in formal versus informal education.

  • 11:50am Lunch break. (11:50 – 12:20)
  • 12:20 to 12:35 “Radicalization of Youth and Growth of Extremism”
    Bruce Reidel, Director & Senior Fellow Brookings Keynote Address.

  • Afternoon Session: LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
    Successes and Hurdles in Education Reform, what should be duplicated and what needs to be avoided.

  • 12:35 pm The Punjab Education Reform Initiative. Lessons for the other provinces of Pakistan.
    Saad Rizvi, Senior Vice President, Pearsons

  • 12:55pm The education reform experience in Bangladesh. Lessons learnt.
    Dr. Liesbet Steer, Fellow, Brookings Center for Universal Education

  • 1:15pm Madrasa Reform in Pakistan, successes, failures and the way forward.
    Dr. Douglas Johnston, President/Founder, International Center for Religion & Diplomacy

  • 1:35pm Reforming the gender gap in Pakistan’s education landscape. Corollary benefits of educating girls. Measuring the progress of education reform.
    Baela Raza Jamil, Team Leader, ASER Pakistan. Director, ITA

  • 1:55pm Coffee Break
  • 2:10pm PANEL DISCUSSION and Q&A – What have we learned from our experience in education reform and how can it be applied to accelerate Pakistan’s road to education recovery.
    Dr. Liesbet Steer
    Saad Rizvi
    Dr. Douglas Johnston
    Baela Raza Jamil

  • 3:10pm Guest of Honor
  • 3:30pm Closing Remarks
    Mushtaq Chhapra, Chairman, TCF

  • 3:45pm Adjourn
  • 3:45pm Media Reception & Press Conference

    Reference: Wilson Center

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