Durbeen, Oxford, and IER Push for Language-Inclusive Education Reforms in Pakistan

Peshawar — Durbeen, the University of Oxford, and the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Peshawar, jointly hosted a policy dialogue on Saturday to explore the role of language in improving learning outcomes and promoting inclusive education in Pakistan.

The event was part of the DARE-RC research initiative, led by Dr Fauzia Shamim (Durbeen, Karachi) and Dr Aliya Khalid (University of Oxford), funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by Oxford Policy Management (OPM). The dialogue brought together policymakers, academics, education experts, and community representatives to discuss language-based education reforms in Pakistan.

The session was inaugurated by Dr Hafiz Muhammad Inamullah, Director of IER and Regional Lead for KP, and Ms Salma Alam, CEO of Durbeen and institutional lead for the project. In their opening remarks, they stressed the urgent need to bridge the gap between home and school languages, noting that effective and sustainable education reform must begin by recognising the learner’s linguistic context.

Highlighting findings from the study, Dr Fauzia Shamim observed that “most teachers rely on local languages, and translanguaging is common but unrecognized in policy or training. Using children’s home languages boosts confidence and understanding — multilingualism should be celebrated rather than suppressed.”

Adding to this, Dr Aliya Khalid emphasised that “any approach to make education inclusive must recognise the social and cultural value of language — not only in classrooms but also in communities.”

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Secretary Elementary and Secondary Education KP, Mr Muhammad Khalid Khan, acknowledged the challenges of policy implementation and coherence in the education sector. He discussed the need for a balanced approach between national and regional languages and expressed his department’s willingness to collaborate with the project team to support informed policy reform.

Former MPA Nasir Baz Khan reiterated the cultural and constitutional importance of regional languages, especially Pashto, referencing historical efforts by Wali Khan for linguistic rights.

A panel discussion featuring Dr Gulzar Jalal, Mr Fakhruddin Akhunzada, and Dr Sohail Khan further underscored the need to integrate regional languages into the formal education system to promote inclusivity and cultural identity.

Held at Monal, Peshawar, the dialogue also presented emerging findings from research conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, highlighting the importance of respecting provincial diversity, recognising home languages in early education, and ensuring coherence across the education system.

The event concluded with a shared commitment among participants to promote language-inclusive education reforms for a more equitable and effective learning environment across Pakistan.