The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), in collaboration with the US Mission in Pakistan, successfully hosted the final Policy Dialogue for the Climate Action Fellowship 2024 at F-11 College, Islamabad.
The event culminated in a yearlong fellowship that empowered 50 educators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as climate champions, catalyzing grassroots efforts into tangible policy recommendations.
With the global climate crisis intensifying, KP faces disproportionate risks due to its fragile ecosystems, frequent floods, and glacial melt. Educators are uniquely positioned to mitigate these challenges through awareness and action.
“This fellowship enabled collective action through educators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said Dr Fozia Parveen, Assistant Professor at AKU-IED and Principal Investigator of the fellowship. “We aim to drive sustainable, long-term change by connecting grassroots initiatives to governance.” The culmination event also launched two books published by the fellows, one fiction novel and another short story compilation, with a contribution from Chitral.
The dialogue brought together policymakers, educational experts, and fellows to discuss integrating climate change education into provincial and national frameworks. Senior representatives from the Ministry of Education, Climate Change, and the KP government attended the event.
Whilst signing the Letter of Notification, Mr Masood Ahmad, Secretary of the Elementary & Secondary Education Department, KP, highlighted, “This project has provided opportunities for KP teachers passionate about the environment to drive local action. We in the department would like to welcome such initiatives in the future as well, as climate change is impacting us every day.”
The event featured presentations on fellowship outcomes and grassroots initiatives, a policy dialogue aligning climate education with national priorities and a showcase of 50 grassroots projects, including reforestation and waste management campaigns.
A panel discussion featured esteemed panellists and senior educationists, including Dr A.H. Nayyer, a Renowned Pakistani Physicist and Scholar; Sarah Mehmood, Manager of Environment and Social Safeguarding at WWF; Dr Qaisar Imran, Manager of Research at the National Institute of Disaster Management; Dr Farid Panjwani, Professor and Dean of AKU-IED; and Dr Riaz Hussain, Assistant Professor and Head of the Professional Development Centre Chitral at AKU-IED.
The fellowship’s top 20 projects received incentives to promote scalability and sustainability. Fellows emphasized the urgent need for curriculum reforms, teacher training, and collaboration with local communities to advance climate education.
The Climate Action Fellowship 2024 is a joint initiative of AKU-IED and the US Mission in Pakistan. Building capacity and fostering collaboration underscores education’s key role in addressing the climate crisis and bridging the gap between policy and practice.
