Salma Butt, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to women’s empowerment
By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Youth Tube, in collaboration with the Punjab Education Curriculum, Training and Assessment Authority (PECTAA), organized a Policy Dialogue under the HER-izon – Strengthening Female Educational Leadership project.
Speaking at the event, Salma Butt, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab, reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to women’s empowerment. She commended Youth Tube and female headteachers for building a provincial network to promote girls’ education. Salma Butt emphasized that the Chief Minister and his team are leading by example by encouraging women’s leadership in every sphere of life.
Nausheen Adnan, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education, stated that the new School Management Council (SMC) Policy 2025 ensures community participation, financial autonomy, and inclusivity in schools. She further highlighted that the Government of Punjab is introducing curriculum reforms, digital courses, and merit-based promotions of teachers to headteacher positions to strengthen school leadership.
Sabiha Shaheen, Executive Director of Bargad, appreciated the active role of the Punjab Female Headteachers Network (PFHN) in advancing women’s leadership and supporting girls’ education across Punjab.
The policy dialogue brought together more than 80 participants from across the province, including government officials, female headteachers, SMC members, girl students, parents, education experts, and civil society representatives.
Iqbal Haider Butt, CEO of Youth Tube, shared past reforms and lessons learned, while presenting best practices from four developing countries — India, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Ghana. Hussain Sajjad Hashmi elaborated on the key features of the new Punjab SMC Policy 2025.
Participants also took part in interactive sessions, including an “SMC Challenge Wall”, where issues were highlighted, and solutions proposed to strengthen school-community partnerships. Participants urged the government to provide SMCs with funds for mobilization and awareness campaigns, capacity-building training, representation of women and parents, and support for local leadership. Headteachers and community members were also encouraged to play their part in ensuring the effective functioning of SMCs at the grassroots level. A panel discussion, moderated by Muzammil Majeed, featured insights from Dr. Nadia, DEO Lahore; Nadia Rana, Science Teacher; Aneesa Wilayat, Headteacher; Sarfraz Ahmed, Principal, Sheikhupura; Tayyaba Rafique, SMC Member; Mashallah Ali, SAHE; Agha Salamat Ali, Punjab Teachers Association; Shahid Rehmat, Youth Development Foundation; Zeshan Sohail, Lawyer; and Prof. Ashok Kumar, LUMS.
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