Karachi, Sindh

Secretary Education Sindh Zahid Ali Abbasi has announced that the Sindh School Education and Literary Department (SELD) would initiate Middle Teach STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) for informal and non-formal education, and is planning to reform the examination system.

“The next initiative will be to introduce junior science leaders in elementary schools. To achieve this, SELD will recruit specialized science teachers for these schools. Each school will have three dedicated teachers: one for computer science and two for general science subjects,” he said while addressing the STEAM Symposium 2024 organized by Thar Education Alliance (TEA), in collaboration with the School Education and Literacy Department, Reform Support Unit (RSU), and UNICEF at Karachi on Friday May 24, 2024.

Additional Secretary SELD, Dr. Fouzia Khan said that the Sindh Youth STEAM Festival provided valuable opportunities for students in Sindh to showcase their talents. It was a great success for SELD and its supporting partners, opening new avenues in STEAM education. Over 12,000 students participated in these festivals, with more events planned for the future.

Asif Abrar from UNICEF stated that the objectives of this symposium are to review the recommendations from experts at the Festival and propose actionable steps to the relevant stakeholders. Additionally, it aims to recognize the achievements of adolescents and young people, particularly noting the strong interest from female students in remote, marginalized communities.

Mads Sorensen, UNICEF’s Regional Advisor, Adolescent Participation, Skills and Employability, stated that witnessing the talent of students in STEAM is exciting. Young people need support for equal opportunities, as they are the leaders of both today and the future. They have dreams, and organizations like ours need to ensure that these dreams come true.

Partab Shivani, Chief Executive Officer of Thar Education Alliance (TEA), expressed that their journey began in Mithi, Tharparkar, back in 2017 with a one-day science festival. This event became a significant activity for the town, leading TEA to organize similar festivals in various parts of the region, eventually culminating in the Sindh Science Festival in Karachi.

These efforts have produced 18 junior scientists, and with the support of UNICEF, RSU, SELD, and the STEAM working committee, more scientists will be nurtured. These young scientists are stars who will shine even brighter in the future.

During a panel discussion on ‘Technical Dialogue with STEAM Experts,’ speakers including Sana Kazimi, Abdul Majeed Bhurt, Afia Salem, Azmat Hafeez, and others emphasized the urgent need for a dedicated policy for STEAM education to be initiated by the Sindh Government. They pointed out that in remote areas of Sindh, where students often dislike mathematics, there is a critical need for trained STEAM teachers who can inspire students and foster a love for learning. The speakers also advocated for the systematic implementation of learning and the continuity of festivals like this one.

They noted that talent is abundant, as evidenced by the innovation and energy displayed by students at the festival and symposium. However, it is crucial to invest in guiding this knowledge towards the right avenues. While the Science Lab initiative by SELD and the hiring of subject specialist teachers are positive steps, many gray areas still need to be addressed.

Around 18 stories of winning students from three festivals were showcased at the event. The diverse participation encouraged every student’s confidence, as they came from humble backgrounds. Despite their circumstances, their science projects and level of understanding were amazing. In the closing ceremony of the event shields and awards were distributed among the students and speakers. (PR)

Read: Sujawal STEAM Learning Festival: Speakers underline changing patriarchal norms

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The LoU was signed on the sidelines of the 4-day first ever Gilgit-Baltistan Career Festival 2022, with participation of more than 16,000 male and female students.

Gilgit City

A Letter of Understanding (LoU) was inked on Tuesday by the Education & Special Education Department, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFEPT) to promote STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths) education at the school level in the province.

Secretary of Education, Gilgit Baltistan, Rana Muhammad Saleem Afzal signed the LoU on behalf of the Department.

The LoU was signed on the sidelines of the 4-day first ever Gilgit-Baltistan Career Festival 2022, which concluded today. More than 16,000 male and female students from across the GB province participated in the event.

This first-of-its-kind four-day national-level career festival was organized by the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to create awareness among school, college, and university students regarding the most relevant career paths available to them.

Under the LoU the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training’s STEAM Policy Unit will provide technical support to the staff of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department of Gilgit-Baltistan based in the Headquarter, the Regional Offices, and high schools for the development of policies, systems, and practices for the implementation of the STEAM Pakistan Project.

In April 2022, with financial assistance from the Malala Fund, MoFEPT initiated a five-year project, STEAM Pakistan to advance secondary school-aged girls’ access to STEAM education. The signing of this LoU is in line with the project’s mandate to take the modern STEAM learning model to all the 13,000 high schools across Pakistan.

As a first step, MoFEPT, through its STEAM Pakistan initiative, extended support to the GB Career Festival by arranging career talks, speed counseling sessions, and mentoring circles led by STEAM Mentors – inspiring women leaders in STEAM from different cities of Pakistan. The “STEAM Superwomen” who participated in the festival included Dr. Shahana Khurshid, environmental engineer and Professor at LUMS School of Science and Engineering; Haya Fatima Iqbal, Academy and two-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and Professor at Habib University; Rishm Saifullah, principal architect and visiting faculty member at BNU Lahore; and Shamim Rajani, tech entrepreneur and Founder of Genetech and CodeGirlsPk.

“We want our students, especially our girls to aspire for and excel in 21st-century careers,” said Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Chief Secretary, Gilgit-Baltistan during the concluding ceremony of the maiden GB Career Festival 2022.

“Through this effort, we wanted to allow our students to interact with thought leaders and experts from different walks of life, learn from their experiences, and aspire to follow in their footsteps,” he added.

“The sheer presence of the STEAM Mentors at the festival opened new vistas for the young people who got an opportunity to interact with them. I am grateful to my colleagues from the STEAM Pakistan project and we welcome their contribution for the benefit of the students of Gilgit-Baltistan,” commented Wani.

“Our objective was to provide young people, especially young girls with access to Pakistani role models from the STEAM fields who could both guide the students on exploring the most relevant career options as well as broaden their worldviews to make them more ambitious for their futures,” shared Sana Kazmi, Head of Partnerships with the STEAM Pakistan project. (PR)

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