Blogs
Five Countries, One Kitchen: Notes from the South Asia Foundational Learning Convening
Five Countries, One Kitchen: Notes from the South Asia Foundational Learning Convening On 5 and 6 August 2026, delegations from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sat in the same room in Negombo, Sri Lanka for two days to talk about something that sounds simple and isn’t: how do you actually know whether a child can read? Every country…
ITA’s Successful Advocacy for “Abolition of Pink Tax
ITA’s Successful Advocacy for “Abolition of Pink Tax” By Dr. Baela Raza Jamil,CEO, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) The Government of Pakistan’s decision to abolish taxes on sanitary pads in the Federal Budget 2026–27 is a landmark achievement for menstrual dignity, gender equity, and social justice. It signals a growing recognition that menstrual hygiene products are essential commodities and not luxury items. For…
The new literacy
The new literacy By Dr. Baela Raza Jamil Why every child and teacher in Pakistan needs AI In 2024, three Grades 7 and 8 students of a trust school for the marginalised said they wanted greater exposure to machine learning courses. They were generously placed by the Information Technology University in a summer programme. The students had already obtained online…
The Overburdened Backpack: How Too Many Books Are Hindering Foundational Learning in Pakistan
The Overburdened Backpack: How Too Many Books Are Hindering Foundational Learning in Pakistan By Muhammad Shakeel Ahmad Foundational learning, defined as the ability of children to read with understanding and perform basic numeracy by the end of primary school, is the cornerstone of any effective education system. Without these essential skills, children struggle to benefit from further education and are at…
Embedding Foundational Learning in Orangi District (Karachi West)
Embedding Foundational Learning in Orangi District (Karachi West) By Baela Raza Jamil Each time I visit Orangi District (earlier Karachi West) I am reminded of my meetings with Pakistan’s famous social scientist-activist Mr. Akhtar Hameed Khan synonymous with self-reliance, community led development, innovations and believer in the role of public and private sector and community for human development especially in…
When Children Lead the Climate Conversation
Sanjan Nagar School System (SNSS) An IB-Wold School-Authorized IB-PYP-School (KG-10) When Children Lead the Climate Conversation Azizullah Safdar: Senior Manager Academics & Learning ITA Pakistan Yesterday at Sanjan Nagar School, I didn’t just attend a student event, I witnessed a generation rising. Their voices were small in age, but powerful in purpose. As I entered the auditorium, the space…
Breaking the Silence – ITA’s Journey on Menstrual Health and Dignity (MHD)
Breaking the Silence ITA’s Journey on Menstrual Health and Dignity (MHD) Fatima Jaffar: Senior Manager Life Skills ITA Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) has prioritized breaking the silence around menstruation as part of its Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) efforts. Although menstruation is natural for half the population, it remains shrouded in a deep culture of silence in Pakistan due to stigma, taboo, notions…
A Second Chance for Pakistan’s Children: ILMpact Launches in Bahawalpur
A Second Chance for Pakistan’s Children: ILMpact Launches in Bahawalpur By Arooj Khalid With 11 million out-of-school children in Punjab alone, education exclusion has become nothing short of a state of emergency. Behind every statistic is a child whose dreams have been deferred, girls pushed towards early marriage, boys forced into labour, minorities and children with disabilities quietly left behind.…
Unfolding Futures: A Mobile Revolution in Learning By Javeria Najeeb
Unfolding Futures: A Mobile Revolution in Learning By Javeria Najeeb | Kitab Gari Coordinator Kitab-Mahol Gari: Reaching 1 Million Children GIVE NOW Kitab Gari is an innovative educational initiative addressing critical learning gaps among children in Pakistan. Since its inception, Kitab Gari has touched the lives of approximately 65,000 children in Karachi, providing them with engaging sessions covering essential life skills…
Transforming Classrooms in Umarkot: ITA’s Visit to TaRL Training Practicums
Transforming Classrooms in Umarkot: ITA’s Visit to TaRL Training Practicums Written By: Kanza Abbasi With one of the world’s highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC) of around 25.3 million, and learning poverty as high as 77% according to the World Bank report, Pakistan stands in the midst of an ongoing education crisis, threatening to burst from the weight of compounding…
