AKU-EB Conducts Second Phase of Training to Develop Capacity of Balochistan Assessment Bodies

The Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB) has commenced the second phase of training as part of the agreement that it has reached with the Government of Balochistan and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as part of the larger Balochistan Basic Education Programme funded by the European Union (EU), titled “Consultancy services for capacity development and technical support to the Balochistan Assessment and Examination Commission”.

Under the terms of this agreement, AKU-EB has taken on a technical support and capacity development role for governmental assessment bodies in Balochistan, including the Balochistan Assessment and Examination Commission (BAEC), the Bureau of Curriculum, Policy, Planning and Implementation Unit (PPIU), the Directorate of Schools, and the Professional Institute of Teacher Education (PITE).

Dr Naveed Yousuf, Associate Director, Assessment, AKU-EB, who is the director of this project, stated: “I am excited to see this project successfully entering into its second phase. It is said that ten thousand hours of practice is required to acquire expertise in any skill. Based on the same principle, this project doesn’t only include capacity development activities, but also provides opportunities to practice these skills in real world setting with experts. I am confident that this endeavour will succeed in aligning the provincial assessments in Balochistan with the curriculum in its true spirit, and that the long-term benefits of this training will be to bolster and empower the public education system of Balochistan.”

The project will consist of a series of training exercises conducted by AKU-EB, aimed at imparting best practices in assessment, curriculum development and examination development to selected employees of the governmental institutions, in order to strengthen the public education system of Balochistan. The programme was developed based on the findings of a needs assessment exercise conducted earlier this year by AKU-EB in various areas of the province.

The current phase of training is intended to span from July 5-14 in Karachi, and has seen participants from Quetta travel to the city in order to attend. It is centered around experiential learning during which the participants will engage themselves in the processes of both developing and reviewing examination items alongside AKU-EB academic staff members. 

Honourable Caretaker Minister, Education, Government of Balochistan, Dr Nasrullah Khilji visited the AKU-EB premises on July 9, and addressed both participants and trainers. “The journey of acquiring knowledge begins from the cradle and should continue up till the grave,” he said. “It is the fundamental right of our people, of every family, to obtain a good education for their children. There is a need for us in Balochistan to reform and upgrade our education system, and I urge participants to remember that they must apply what they have learned to their everyday lives. Remember that you are intellectual assets to our province, and that you have been given an opportunity to learn from the best experiences of AKU-EB.”

Additional Secretary Development and Focal Person PPIU, Muhammad Jahangir Kakar and representative from UNICEF were also present at the event. Honourable Secretary, Secondary Education, Government of Balochistan, Noor ul Haq Baloch, also visited AKU-EB and praised both trainers and trainees alike for their efforts.