Ten cohorts. Ten generations of commitment and courage. Each one stepping into classrooms, communities, and a lifelong journey of service. Each one carrying the belief that systems built by people can be rebuilt by those who choose justice, who choose hope, who choose action.
Our 10th Fellowship Cohort takes the pledge, one to stand with Pakistan’s children, to lead with the clarity that comes from witnessing inequity up close, and to act with purpose, compassion, and conviction.
This 10th cohort, Batch 3 of the Education Fellows project by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, marks an important milestone. Now, our promise is louder than ever: we will keep working until every child in Pakistan learns in a system that nurtures them to become loving, thinking, and engaged citizens.
The Pledge 2025 also commemorates a powerful partnership between Teach For Pakistan, the Ministry, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It is also a moment to mark the successful independent evaluation of the Education Fellows project by the RAND Corporation, validating it as a learning-focused model for public education reform.
Leadership Breakthroughs celebrate the powerful moments when teachers and students spark change that transforms education. These breakthroughs are moments of insight, courage, and innovation where Fellows and students overcome challenges to discover new ways of leading and learning. They show how educators and learners become catalysts for reshaping systems, breaking barriers, and creating opportunities.
All Leadership Breakthroughs videos will be available here after the event.
At Teach For Pakistan, we believe that lasting change in education is only possible when communities are part of the solution. Through Community Partnership Projects (CPPs), Fellows join hands with students, parents, teachers, and communities to tackle the barriers that prevent children from learning and growing.
These projects go beyond academics, they strengthen the overall school experience. Whether it’s improving literacy, organizing sports and arts activities, promoting student well-being, or making schools safer and more inclusive, CPPs are rooted in the voices and priorities of the communities they serve. Every initiative is a shared effort, designed not just for the communities but with them.
The school where Hajra and Noor once taught was gripped by silence, fear, and hesitation. Classrooms echoed with quiet compliance rather than vibrant curiosity. A disconnect between teachers and students bred an environment of fear—undermining student confidence and stifling critical thinking. Chronic staff shortages left teachers stretched thin, unable to provide the emotional support their students needed to thrive. It was a bleak and discouraging landscape—one that Hajra and Noor knew had to change.
And change it did.
Through trust-building workshops and spaces designed for thoughtful reflection, a shift began. Fellows witnessed their students growing in confidence, expressing themselves more freely, and thinking more critically. A culture of support started to take root. Round-table discussions gave teachers a voice, allowing them to feel seen and valued—leading, in turn, to a renewed capacity to support their students with empathy and understanding.
What was once a rigid, fear-driven system is now beginning to breathe with empathy, safety, and inclusion. A new culture is taking shape—one where both teachers and students feel heard, supported, and empowered.
Having taught for two years in a small school in Nilore, Fellows Saleha, Aliza, and Sana knew that when the time came, they wanted their Community Partnership Project to be one that got at the heart of a strong and supported student: an equally strong and supported mother. Dastageer began with a clear goal: to help students’ mothers become strong emotional and academic supports for their daughters. Fellows organized sessions on emotional well-being, vision-building, and open communication, which allowed the students mothers a safe space to reflect, connect, and grow together.
As the project progressed, what Fellows saw was remarkable. Mothers took pride in their daughters’ achievements and stood by them through challenges, built an ecosystem of support, and discovered the power of their own voices. One mother shared, “I want my daughter to be a lawyer who is independent and self-sufficient.”
A deeply moving story highlights this change: a student facing hardships in a harmful learning environment had a mother who, through Dastageer, grew confident, advocated for her daughter, and embraced a growth min
The mother of a student who previously faced hardship due to an incoducive learning environment and lack of support system used the space offered to her by the Fellows’ project in growing her confidence and using her agency, and now advocates for her daughter however she can. This year, that same student returned to school smiling, supported by a mother who now leads with love, knowledge, and courage.
In a government school in Sangjani, where only 5–6% of girls continue education after matric, financial constraints keep dreams small and futures uncertain. Fellows Rabbia and Hira launched Earn While You Learn, a community-based skill development project offering workshops in stitching, beautician skills, and interior designing.
Led by a local fashion designer, these workshops are now integrated into the 9th-grade curriculum, with nearly 50 girls attending daily. Practical skill assessments earn them academic credit, boosting both their confidence and their future prospects. This project became a sustainable part of the learning structure, evolving the students’ definition of what it means to learn. They now see education not as a dead end but as a launchpad—equipping them to earn, supporting their schooling, and most importantly, their future. This project enabled students to not just learn new skills, but dared them to dream of an alternative and brighter future – one where they are not bound by any restraints.
When they began teaching two years ago, Nirmal, Salehah, and Aareesha saw how the disconnect between their students’ home and school lives created room for miscommunication and silence, effectively hindering student growth. ‘Humqadam’ – to walk side by side – was born in response to the urgent need of bridging the gap beteen home and school, a joint effort to create supportive learning environments by building trust and collaboration between parents and teachers.
Fellows held various workshops as part of their activities: one on setting a shared vision for children’s futures, and another on effective communication. What they saw was encouraging – parents becaming more engaged, teachers feeling supported, and students reported feeling more encouraged both at home and school.
The purpose of this project was two-fold. Through it, Fellows intended to focus on the health and well-being of mothers and children, understanding the unmistakeable connection between empowered mothers and safe, nurturing homes. Humqadam is more than just a project; it’s a shared promise to move forward together, so no child’s potential is left behind.
For a long time, the school where Waleed and Junaid taught felt divided—one track for classroom learning, and another for everything else beyond it. This separation fostered a narrow view: that learning belonged only within four walls, and energy and passion were reserved solely for the sports field.
Their project, Khel Shehzaday, was born from a vision to blur that line—to challenge the idea that learning and play must remain apart. They believed that the same skills nurtured on the field could enrich the classroom too.
Through Khel Shehzaday, students began to thrive as teammates. They built resilience, one game at a time. They learned to manage time while coordinating practices, and they developed self-discipline through early morning drills. These weren’t just sports lessons—they were life lessons, equally relevant to academic success.
And soon, the change became clear.
Teachers saw students return to the classroom with sharper focus, a greater ability to bounce back from challenges, and a newfound sense of leadership. Khel Shehzaday turned out to be more than just a sports initiative—it became a transformative learning experience. By giving students space to play and lead, Waleed and Junaid helped them grow into more capable learners and confident young men.
When Zainab and Elizay began teaching two years ago, they found something alarming: students afraid to speak, and hence unable to be heard, feel seen, or acknowledged. How can one expect students to feel excited and hopeful to learn when they cannot even feel safe?
This is how Project Salaamti was born. The Fellows started with small conversations that slowly turned silence into courage. They held sessions with parents, students, and teachers, stressing the importance of safe spaces for children. And with time, they began noticing a difference. A girl who once walked home in fear led a peer support group. Another who bottled up anger learned to name her feelings and ask for help. Fellows created a safe space corner for students to share their feelings, which now blooms with drawings of hope. Parents and teachers alike, previously hesitant and unequppied to support their children, are now grateful for when they express themselves freely.
The most powerful moment? Students stood before school leaders and shared their dreams of a safer world, not just asking for change, but leading it. These students now know to use their voice, and trust that they matter. This is the change we are committed to carrying forward.
In their first year of the Fellowship, Ashraf, Hassan, and Irfan uncovered a troubling pattern at their school: a low retention rate and an alarmingly high number of student dropouts. As they dug deeper, they discovered a root cause that was both simple and serious—students were unequipped to make informed decisions about their futures. Many lacked awareness of potential career paths, had little access to resources, and came from families who were unsure how to support them.
To bridge this gap, they launched Rakht-e-Safar—a project dedicated to guiding students on their journey toward meaningful futures. The initiative introduced a dedicated career counselling space within the school, a comprehensive career booklet tailored to students’ needs, and carefully designed sessions that brought together students, parents, and teachers.
Through workshops and one-on-one counselling, students have begun to explore a world of possibilities—learning about diverse career options, accessing educational resources, and setting clearer, more confident goals for themselves. Just as importantly, their parents have found new confidence too—reporting a stronger sense of direction and empowerment in supporting their children’s aspirations.
Since its inception, Rakht-e-Safar has sparked a significant shift: students are now not only staying in school, but walking forward with purpose. What began as a response to dropout rates has become a launchpad for dreams.
Rehbar set out with a bold goal: to dismantle stereotypes and foster genuine collaboration between parents and teachers in a low-income school community. Longstanding barriers, mistrust, miscommunication, and outdated assumptions, had left a critical gap between two of the most important stakeholders in a child’s education.
To begin bridging that gap, Fellows partnered with trusted community leaders from Kiran Foundation and STEMBOTS, and together they facilitated reflective, interactive sessions that underscored the transformative power of parental involvement. These gatherings were more than workshops—they were safe spaces where parents felt heard and empowered, and where teachers gained vital insights into their students’ home lives.
The impact was immediate and eye-opening. Surveys revealed that 92% of parents supported higher education for their daughters, challenging deep-rooted gender biases. Teachers, many of whom had never received training in stakeholder engagement, reported improved communication and a renewed commitment to inclusive, empathetic teaching.
The journey wasn’t without its challenges. Parental mistrust and scheduling conflicts posed early roadblocks. But through personal outreach and flexible planning, Fellows built trust and forged strong relationships that will outlast their presence in the school.
In many of Islamabad’s underserved school communities, environmental neglect has a direct and damaging impact on students’ health. This reality was particularly stark for three Fellows working in Tarlai and Khanna Dak, where unhygienic conditions led to a troubling 27% student absenteeism rate—significantly disrupting learning outcomes.
In response, the Fellows launched Saaf Fiza, Sehatmand Bachay (Clean Air, Healthy Children)—a health-centered environmental initiative aimed at transforming both the school environment and community mindset. Their mission was threefold: to reduce illness, foster civic responsibility, and boost student attendance.
The project reached over 500 students and their families through a series of impactful activities, including health and hygiene awareness sessions, community-involved plantation drives, and student-led school clean-up campaigns.
But the true shift came not just from cleaning spaces—it came from changing beliefs. One of the biggest hurdles was the deeply rooted perception among parents and students that their individual efforts would not make a difference. Through consistent engagement and visible results, the Fellows began to break this mindset.
They witnessed the formation of student-led cleanliness clubs, increased teacher ownership of environmental upkeep, and a noticeable improvement in community participation. Saaf Fiza, Sehatmand Bachay didn’t just create cleaner spaces—it instilled a sense of pride, responsibility, and collective action.
The result? Healthier students, more regular attendance, and stronger school-community bonds. The initiative left a lasting legacy, embedding environmental consciousness into the school culture—well beyond the Fellows’ time there.
When Fellows Toseef, Hamza, and Adnan began teaching, they quickly identified a common challenge: most of their students lacked critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to learn independently. This gap was not only hindering academic progress but also limiting students’ readiness for a fast-paced, competitive, and technology-driven world.
In response, the Fellows launched Safar-e-Takhleeq, a transformative project aimed at reshaping the learning experience by empowering students through digital literacy. The goal was to spark independence and curiosity, equipping learners with the tools and confidence to take charge of their education.
As part of the initiative, both students and teachers were trained to use technology meaningfully. The Fellows also created a user-friendly digital literacy guidebook that served as a go-to resource for ongoing learning and support.
The impact was immediate and visible: once-neglected Smart Classrooms were revitalized into dynamic centers of interactive learning. Today, nearly 70% of students regularly use digital tools to complete their homework and deepen their understanding, while teachers have started designing innovative, tech-integrated lesson plans that promote inquiry, exploration, and engagement.
Parents, too, have seen the transformation. Encouraged by the growth in their children, many now actively support and facilitate the use of digital tools at home.
What began as a push for independence has become a true shift in mindset. The school community now embraces curiosity, values autonomy, and recognizes the lifelong power of self-directed learning—proof that when students are given the right tools and encouragement, they don’t just learn better—they learn to lead their own learning journey.
In the public schools of Nilore and Bhara Kahu, students and teachers—like many across the region—lacked the skills and tools to harness technology in their educational journey. Recognizing this gap, Fellows Shafaq and Huzaifa made digital literacy the cornerstone of their Community Partnership Project.
To bring this vision to life, they collaborated with a team of software engineers who delivered interactive sessions for students, introducing them to essential digital tools such as Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, and basic concepts of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, teachers received hands-on training in creating Google accounts and integrating digital tools into their lesson planning and classroom instruction.
This initiative reached over 100 students and more than a dozen teachers, equipping them with foundational digital skills and laying the groundwork for a tech-enabled learning environment. Where access to functional computers posed a significant barrier, the Fellows found a solution: they leveraged the resources of the Universal Service Fund (USF) computer labs to ensure that learning could continue uninterrupted.
By the project’s end, what began as a simple intervention evolved into a movement toward digital empowerment. Shafaq and Huzaifa not only expanded access to technology but also transformed the way students and teachers interacted with it—building confidence, curiosity, and a stronger foundation for 21st-century learning.
Fellows Anusha, Minahil, and Unzeela served at a public school in the Sihala sector of rural Islamabad. During their time with students, they observed a troubling pattern: corporal punishment was negatively affecting students’ socio-cognitive development, behavior, and academic performance. They believed that students could only truly learn in a safe, supportive environment—one built on empathy rather than fear.
Motivated by this, the Fellows initiated their Community Partnership Project with a focus on eliminating corporal punishment and promoting positive discipline. Their journey began with open conversations with students about discipline. As students started sharing their stories, more voices joined in, creating space for peer-led sessions across grade levels. These sessions empowered students to reflect, speak up, and support one another.
The Fellows collaborated with Sahil to train over 40 parents, encouraging them to reflect on their own childhood experiences and explore non-violent, positive discipline techniques. With Cities for Children, they worked with teachers—particularly those in early years education—to adopt child-friendly classroom strategies rooted in respect and care rather than punishment.
Gradually, the culture began to shift. Conversations about corporal punishment, once considered taboo, became more open. Parents began to raise concerns about how students were treated in school. Students found their voice, and the courage to advocate for themselves. In response, the school administration began taking concrete steps to create a safer learning environment.
This collective effort—driven by students, parents, teachers, and Fellows—fostered a school culture grounded in empathy, accountability, and shared responsibility for student well-being. What started as a few difficult conversations blossomed into a powerful movement toward dignity and safety for every child.
In a public school in Pakistan Town, five Teach For Pakistan Fellows noticed a troubling pattern as they began teaching – disengaged students which led to their poor academic performance or disruptive behaviour that ultimately made classrooms difficult to manage for teachers. The Fellows believes that by actively involving all the players in the students’ ecosystem, they would be able to improve students’ emotional regulation, manage behavioural challenges, and bridge gaps in foundational learning.
And so began their journey. The Fellows brought together the administration, College Management Committe, and the parent community to co-create a nurturing space within the school. They also established a Reflection Centre which now serves over 300 students between the fourth and eighth grades. They have trained more than a dozen parent volunteers who work with a school-provided timetable and support students academically and emotionally.
The Fellows hope to expand their work and volunteer base, deepening this unique model of community-driven education.
Tassawur is what happens when each stakeholder commits to a child’s well-being, a true vision of ‘it takes a village’.
In most underserved schools, access to computer labs is limited—making digital literacy an even more distant goal. When Shazia, Sidra, and Saher began teaching, one of their goals was to shift both student and teacher mindsets about technology – for them to see it as a resource and tool for independant learning and innovative teaching as opposed to a source of confusion.
In collaboration with NIETE, Fellows began organizing teacher-training sessions on how to use technology as a teaching aid. The results were immediate: teachers began using audio-visual aids to teach their students the alphabet and learned how to teach them Science and Urdu to make the subjects more engaging and interesting.
The impact on students has also been stark. They now use resources such as Khan Academy to help solve Mathematics equations, improve their reading through accessing short stories online, and explore the wondrous scientific world without limits.
Gone are the days of “I didn’t understand” or “I missed tuition.” With digital tools in hand, students are taking charge of their learning. Classrooms are buzzing with creativity, clarity, and confidence. This isn’t just a tech upgrade, it’s a mindset shift, and the impact is growing every day.
In the heart of Bhara Kahu, where scarce resources and uncertainty shadow children’s dreams, a quiet revolution began at the school where Fellows Humna and Hira taught. Overcrowded classrooms echoed with more than just lessons—they held the unspoken weight of emotional struggles, peer conflicts, and broken confidence. Here, amidst high unemployment and cultural constraints, children—especially girls—carried invisible burdens that stifled their growth.
Recognizing this crisis, Fellows launched a community-led initiative to build emotional resilience. Through student workshops on”My Feelings Matter” and “Calm and Cool,” children began learning how to name their emotions, build confidence, and navigate stress. Parents attended sessions on fostering empathy and safe spaces at home, while teachers were trained to create emotionally supportive classrooms.
For the first time, school became a place where emotions were not silenced but understood. What started as a simple project became a movement—redefining how a community nurtures its children’s hearts as much as their minds.
Anzeela and Manahil’s first few days of teaching taught them something: students were passive learners, dependent on teachers to learn, and lacked the confidence and direction to work on their own. This also translated into struggling with foundational skills and knowledge. They knew something had to give, and it was their fear of learning and working independently.
The goal of their Community Partnership Project was to develop students into independent thinkers, confident decision-makers, and proactive problem-solvers, and to support teachers in creating classrooms where students took charge of their learning. They began with teachers, and through a series of workshops, supported them with various strategies to shift their roles from instructor to facilitators. They introduced teachers to goal-setting tools which would allow students to map their learning, differentiated instructions, activity-based techniques to increase student engagement, building student-led classrooms, and using data as a means to pivot classroom strategies in service of what works for the students.
The results were obvious: students began setting their own academic goals, started using resources to aid learning, worked with peers, and reflected on their progress before suggesting their own next steps. Parents would tell the Fellows how their children have grown to enjoy studying more because they feel themselves an equal in the classroom, and teachers began taking a step back and giving students the room to shine.
By the project’s end, over 70% of students began working more independently and made the shift from passive to active learners. The culture of independence and shared ownership, initiated by the Fellows, has now taken root within the school community. The result is a dynamic classroom ecosystem—one where students and teachers grow together in a continuous cycle of learning and transformation.
It is no secret that even in today’s day and age, many girls are denied the freedom and right to move freely. This was no different for the girls Laiba, Hafiza, and Shazmina were teaching. As they taught, they saw how their students were denied space for physical activity, self-expresison, and ultimately leadership. This brought about Uraan. Through their project, Fellows enabled over 200 girls, aged 11-15, with the space to participate in inclusive sports activities that promote not only physical health but also emotional well-being, confidence, and teamwork.
The club blends structured matches with reflection circles, where students process their growth and build essential life skills. For many, it’s the first time they’ve led a team, made decisions, or celebrated their strength. The impact extends beyond sports, leading to better academic focus and classroom behavior.
Despite challenges like space constraints and community skepticism, Uraan thrived through stakeholder engagement and collaboration. With a student-led executive body, trained volunteers, and teacher buy-in, Uraan is now a sustainable movement, reshaping the future for girls in the community.
A school nestled in Rawat was a sight set for change when Fellows Usman, Asad, and Waseem set foot into it in 2023. As they taught, they realised that their challenge was greater than students not being able to learn – it was that they were too afraid to do so because of rampant bullying motivated by ethnic differences. The Fellows realised that to build leaders out of their students, they had to first create safe, inclusive classrooms – and this is exactly what they did.
Over the course of two years, Fellows were hard at work deepening their relations with parents, teachers, and students, aligning everyone around a shared vision of peace and harmony. By the time they began to work on their Community Partnership Project, it was already grounded in trust, a sense of belief, and purpose.
Through workshops, trainings, and role plays, they tackled ethnic bias and bullying head-on. Every step was intentional, tailored to the community’s needs. What began as a single intervention had a ripple effect, one that reached every classroom and inevitably shaped how students treated one another.