ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday urged teachers and education experts to share suggestions, practical recommendations, and firsthand experiences with the government to make the education reform initiative effective, realistic, and responsive to students’ and educational institutions’ needs.
He said the government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s direction, is working to transform Islamabad’s education system into a model that can serve as a benchmark for educational institutions in other parts of the country.
The minister expressed these views while visiting the IMCG Golra Girls’ School under the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Education Reforms initiative. He said that the world was witnessing an unprecedented knowledge revolution, in which national progress would increasingly depend on intellectual capacity, creativity and the ability to generate knowledge rather than physical strength.
He stated that the government’s objective of education reforms was not to remove anyone from the system but to transform it into a high-performance institution capable of delivering quality education and measurable results. He said the government’s foremost priority was to ensure a uniform and equitable education system across the country, providing every child with equal opportunities to access quality education.
The minister stressed that Pakistan must move beyond rote learning and promote critical thinking, creativity, research, problem-solving, and the ability to question and generate knowledge. He observed that the traditional education system, shaped by colonial-era practices, had placed excessive emphasis on memorization rather than independent thinking and intellectual development.
Highlighting the importance of early childhood development, Ahsan Iqbal said the first five to seven years of a child’s life were crucial for developing intellectual and creative abilities. These capabilities, he noted, could not be developed through information alone but required a supportive learning environment at home, in schools and throughout society.
He called for reforms across the entire education value chain, from early childhood education to colleges and universities.
The Minister said teachers must move beyond the traditional role of delivering curricula and preparing students for examinations. Instead, they should encourage curiosity, independent thinking, reading habits, observation and experiential learning. He emphasized that classrooms must become centres of inquiry and research where students could ask questions freely and develop the confidence to explore new ideas.
Referring to the Quranic emphasis on reflection and understanding the universe, Professor Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan must revive the spirit of inquiry, intellectual curiosity and discovery within its education system. He stressed that the country should aspire not merely to benefit from knowledge generated elsewhere but to become a nation that creates knowledge and contributes to global progress.
He further said that education should not be limited to obtaining degrees but must cultivate a lifelong commitment to learning, research and continuous intellectual growth. The country needs future generations equipped with the creativity, critical thinking and collective capabilities required to meet emerging challenges.
Clarifying the scope of the ICT education reforms, the minister said the initiative was aimed at bringing fundamental improvements in teaching practices and learning outcomes rather than merely introducing administrative changes. He added that policymakers were visiting schools to understand ground realities, identify challenges faced by sector and non-sector schools, and engage directly with teachers and education staff.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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