Pakistan Considers New Educational Process for Children Struggling in Specific Subjects

Islamabad: Under the chairpersonship of Dr. Shazia Subhia Aslam, the National Assembly’s Subcommittee on Education held a meeting to discuss support mechanisms for children facing learning difficulties in specific subjects. The session included a briefing by the Secretary of Education.

The briefing revealed that no institution or university in Pakistan currently offers training programs for dyslexia therapy. Officials highlighted that some children have difficulty understanding certain subjects, such as mathematics or language, and that professional teacher training and student screening programs are already underway. Implementing a comprehensive training program in Pakistan would require at least six months.

The Director of Education stated that an MoU has been signed with the National Institute of Psychology, and joint teams have conducted screening of over 4,000 children, primarily in primary schools. The broader target is to reach more than 100,000 children to address reading and comprehension challenges.

Officials emphasized that dyslexia involves difficulties in reading and understanding languages and mathematics, but children with dyslexia cannot be classified under the “special needs” category. Learning materials for dyslexic children have been prepared with assistance from the National Book Foundation.

Committee member Zeeb Jafar stated that dyslexic children are not disabled, and they should not be placed in special education programs. Instead, schools should provide support through psychologists and multidisciplinary teams.

Representatives from private organizations noted the need to educate private school owners about these requirements and ensure compliance. A new process targeting 100,000 students in Islamabad schools is planned to address these challenges.

The Director of the Federal Directorate of Education added that efforts to engage private companies were limited due to a shortage of trained therapists. The committee chairperson announced that all stakeholders would be briefed in the next meeting.