THE EDUCATION FELLOWS
WHO LIT-UP
CLASSROOMS IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN
Darvesh Karim, Project Manager &
Senior Instructor, AKU-IED/PDCN
In Gilgit-Baltistan, a
transformative vision for education has begun to unfold. In July 2024, a
pioneering initiative called the GB EFs project was launched which is a GB
Govt-sponsored innovative school improvement initiative. The Project was
implemented by the AKU-led Consortium including LUMS, KIU and KP. The Project
aimed at providing quality education in public sector educational institutions across
all 10 districts of the region. The Project objectives included hiring, developing,
deploying, supervising, and supporting 1248 Education Fellows (EFs) in various
government institutions, including schools, colleges, technical, and special
education institutions.
The journey began with the
challenging task of finding the right talent to place in schools and colleges.
From an initial data pool of 21,358 applicants, 2,375 candidates were
shortlisted. The project then embarked on a rigorous recruitment process,
designed to identify individuals with true passion and aptitude for teaching.
Advertisements clearly outlined criteria, prioritizing candidates with 16 years
or more of education in core subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry,
Biology, English, and Computer Science from HEC-recognized universities. In
certain areas, and based on need, candidates with 14 or even 12 years of
education were considered, particularly for marginalized or underserved villages.
The selection process involved
Test-cum-Interviews conducted by 11 panels comprising 22 individuals. The
interview panelists included faculty from AKU, KIU, LUMS, and other educational
experts. A central control room at PDCN oversaw the entire process,
facilitating audio and video recording for transparency. The interview tool was
comprehensive, assessing passion and commitment, aptitude, analytical and
interpersonal skills, and communication abilities. Significantly, candidates
underwent a Content/General Knowledge Test, where they could orally present,
explain on a whiteboard, or solve questions on paper. This was followed by a
Teaching Demonstration, allowing panels to evaluate their lesson planning,
instructional techniques, subject knowledge, and communication skills in a
practical setting. Each candidate's assessment, including the interview, content
test, and teaching demonstration, was completed within 35 – 45 minutes. Ultimately,
1248 Education Fellows were hired.
Once selected, these EFs were not
simply deployed; they were developed through an intensive training process. Even
the Master Trainers from AKU, LUMS and KIU received initial training of
trainers on Gamification by Knowledge Platform in September 2024, setting the
stage for the master trainers’ own development. Then the EFs underwent 18 days
of training, with a specific focus on Math, Science, English, and General
Pedagogy, and an additional 6-day training was conducted at PDCN for the colleges-based
Education Fellows. Newly hired EFs received a 5-day training course at PDCN and
Skardu. This training was pivotal, aiming to transform teaching practices by
focusing on gamification and activity-based learning, a strategy that proved to
produce tangible outcomes.
With their skills improved, the
EFs were then deployed across 600+ schools, colleges, and other institutions
throughout all 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The deployment was
strategically planned to meet the district-wise and UC-wise teacher needs identified
by the Government, ensuring coverage for 1054 positions in school education, 161
in college education, 15 in special education, and 18 in technical education,
reaching the full target of 1248 EFs. By June 13, 2025, 1237 EFs were on board,
covering various levels of education.
To ensure their continued
effectiveness, a structured monitoring and supervision mechanism was put in
place. This involved district-level visits by ten field-based Professional
Development Teachers (PDTs), complementing the Project Team's supervision
through both physical visits and digital connectivity. A crucial aspect was the
orientation of headteachers on their roles as immediate supervisors of EFs,
strengthening on-ground oversight. Attendance was tracked daily, weekly, and
monthly. The monitoring process also included classroom observations and
feedback, review of lesson planning, professional portfolio development, and
the use of online platforms like Kobotoolbox, WhatsApp, and Facebook group for
data collection and communication.
Beyond monitoring, continuous
support was a cornerstone of the project. Project Team ensured sharing with EFs
on a weekly basis educational material to help them grow professionally on an
ongoing basis. The project organized Winter Camps, engaging 779 EFs who taught
10,109 students, leading to improved results in remedial classes for Grades 5, 8,
9 and 10. EFs were encouraged to continuously update their professional
portfolios, read, write, and engage in reflective practices, even publishing in
newspapers and social media.
This comprehensive approach led
to unprecedented changes in the school culture of Gilgit-Baltistan. For the
first time in the history of GB, regular lesson planning by teachers became a standard
practice, a change also emphasized by the School Education Department for the regular
teachers. Reflective practices flourished through social media, newspapers, and
on official Facebook Group, which also served as a learning resource hub. The
focus on Activity-Based Teaching & Learning became a hallmark, with
evidence of these activities recorded in portfolios. This initiative
significantly enhanced the quality of education, empowered educators, and
contributed to the overall development of the education sector in the region.
However, the project journey
towards making a positive difference in schools also met numerous challenges.
The project faced external pressures related to hiring, postings, and transfers.
Resource gaps (staff, time, materials), limited community engagement, weak
assessment systems, poor school infrastructure, lack of net connectivity,
geographical barriers, and capacity gaps were also identified as potential
obstacles. Sustainability remained a key concern, with risks of attrition.
Despite these hurdles, the
project generated invaluable experience-based learnings. The decentralized
recruitment model proved effective, continuously minimizing vacancy gaps
through ongoing data-pool interviews. The training focuses on gamification and
activity-based learning truly transformed teaching practices. Monitoring was
critical, with the blend of physical visits by PDTs and digital tools ensuring
accountability, further strengthened by headteacher involvement. The importance
of clear communication of expectations was consistently demonstrated.
Looking ahead, the project
identified a strategic path for sustained success. Key recommendations related
to sustaining this initiative in future would require strengthening recruitment
and retention through incentives and longer contracts, enhancing capacity
building with advanced modules like digital literacy and inclusive education,
and improving systemic support by advocating for policy safeguards against interferences
and upgrading school infrastructure in collaboration with the Government and
NGOs. To ensure sustainability, securing multi-year funding extensions and
launching community awareness campaigns to foster local ownership will be
important. Finally, expanding impact measurement through robust assessment
frameworks and publishing impact reports would attract further investment.
The Education Fellows Project in
Gilgit-Baltistan has proved its efficacy and repeatedly showed that it was more
than just a school improvement program, it reflected the power of structured and
collaborative efforts in achieving the school improvement goals. At the
culmination of Project’s Year 1, the Project very well reflects the objectives achieved
and gives hope to the stakeholders for the journey to continue for a brighter
future of education in Gilgit-Baltistan.
What is important to bear in mind
is that the meaningful change process requires considerable time to influence
and impact on the overall organizational culture. Extending this project
through Years 2–3 will allow us to shift from mere implementation of the
project to solidifying its impact. The following 1-2 years will focus on
broadening Education Fellows pedagogical skills, refining data-driven
monitoring, and embedding the multi-level sustainable systems. With continued
support, we can bridge remaining gaps in learning outcomes and institutionalize
the best practices across Gilgit-Baltistan. Let’s make an endeavor to deepen
and broaden the impact of the insights gained from Project implementation
during Year 1.
