• Ph.D., TESOL, School of Education, Leeds University, UK
• M.A., Linguistics for ELT, University of Lancaster, UK
• M.A., English Literature, University of Karachi

Dr Fauzia Shamim is a former Professor and founder Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan. Earlier, she has worked as a teacher/researcher, and in leadership positions at various universities in the public and private sector in Pakistan and abroad. These include: The Aga Khan University’s Institute of Educational Development, University of Karachi, Institute of Business Management, and Taibah University, KSA. She is a founder member and Vice President of the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (SPELT) and was Chair of TESOL International’s Research Professional Council, USA (2018-19).

Dr Shamim obtained her Ph.D in TESOL from the School of Education, Leeds University, UK, and Masters in Linguistics for ELT and English Literature from the University of Lancaster, UK, and Karachi University, Pakistan, respectively. She is a regular presenter at national and international conferences. Her publications include journal articles, book chapters and co- edited/authored books. Her research interests include context-appropriate pedagogy, teaching English in difficult circumstances, program and curriculum development and evaluation, and Language-in-Education policy including English as medium of instruction.

• Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching), National Institute of Education, Singapore
• M.Ed., International Education Policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA
• B.Sc. (High Honors), Engineering Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign, USA.

Salma started her education career at the S.M.B. Fatima Jinnah government school in Karachi, where she volunteered with Zindagi Trust for 4 years. During this time, she supervised the primary mathematics program at the school and also led the writing, illustration and design of a Grade 1 Math textbook in collaboration with Oxford University Press and AKU-IED.

After graduating from Harvard University, Salma spent two years consulting with the World Bank where she developed and supervised a project for a Human Resource Management Information System for Sindh School Education Department employees and also provided technical advisory and operational support for the government’s communication unit.

In 2017, after returning from Singapore with a primary teaching qualification, Salma was appointed as the CEO of Durbeen. She spent the next 3 years laying the groundwork for a public-private partnership in the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

She currently retains this position and also supervises B.Ed. courses at the College.

• D.Phil., University of Oxford (in progress), UK
• M.Phil., Education, Iqra University
• B.Ed., Allama Iqbal Open University
• M.B.A., Institute of Business Management

Aisha has been working in the capacity of team leader and instructor of English language atto different grade levels both in Pakistan and abroad for almost a decade. She has also served as visiting faculty at the Institute of Business Management and Al-Sharq College for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

Aisha has conducted workshops on English teaching strategies at different levels to train teachers to adapt activities, create materials and develop feedback techniques. She has also developed Teacher Resource Books and has reviewed book plans and sample units for a renowned publication house.

• M.Ed., Teacher Education, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
• M.A., Urdu Literature, University of Karachi
• B.Ed., National University of Modern Languages, Karachi
• B.A., Humanities, University of Karachi

Mirbaz Ali Khan has more than five years of experience in teaching English and Urdu courses. He has worked with Dr. Mirat al Fatima at AKU-IED as a teaching practicum mentor in one of her M.Ed. courses, “Learning Styles in English Language Teaching (LS in ELT)”. He has also been working with Aga Khan University Examination Board during their exam sessions. In AKU-IED, He also successfully completed Assessment, Measurement, and Evaluation (AME) as a second specialization along with his M.Ed. course, where he studied Classroom Assessment, Test, Validity and Construction, and Program Evaluation in the Context.

He teaches Urdu and assessment courses at the College.

• M.Ed., International Education Policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA
• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, National University of Sciences & Technology, Pakistan

Umair Khan graduated from NUST as a mechanical engineer in 2016, before turning to his real passion i.e., education. He started by founding a standardized test preparation firm at the end of the same year, through which he went on to helped prospective graduate students pursue their dreams of enrolling in top graduate programs worldwide. To further his study in the field of education, he went to the US as a Fulbright scholar in 2018 and graduated in May 2019 with a master’s degree in International Education Policy. Ever since, he has engaged in a variety of educational initiatives, from conducting training programs for teachers in underserved schools and designing play-based learning workshops for school-going children to teaching GRE preparation classes to prospective graduate students and mentoring graduate applicants.

Umair teaches Mathematics pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.Phil., Education (in progress), Jinnah University for Women
• M.A., General History, Federal Urdu University of Science and Technology, Karachi
• M.Ed., Australian Catholic University, Notre Dame Institute of Education, Karachi
• B.Ed., University of Karachi

Zenab has more than ten years of experience, working as a school leader, professional development facilitator and students counselor. She brings with her vast experience of developing and implementing integrated curriculum and has implemented project-based learning in a number of organizations that she has worked with.
Zenab teaches Social Studies pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.A., Urdu Literature, University of Karachi
• M.Ed., Guidance and Counseling, Government College of Education, F. B. Area
• B.Ed., Government College of Education, F. B. Area
• B.A., Urdu, Economics and Political Science, Government College for Women, Nazimabad

Nighat’s has worked as an O-levels Urdu Teacher at the Beaconhouse School System PECHS College Campus. Prior to that she worked as an Assistant Manager, Curriculum for Urdu & Islamiyat at Beaconhouse from 2008- 2019. Nighat has considerable experience in working with teachers to support them through model and peer teaching, lesson observations, feedback on assessments/ exam papers and focused group discussions.

Nighat teaches Urdu pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.Sc., Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching (in progress), University of Oxford, UK
• M.A., English, University of Karachi
• B.A., English Literature, University of Karachi

Saira has more than 4 years of experience in the field of education. She has taught English language and literature courses at the University of Karachi and Happy Home School. Saira’s research interests are at the intersection of technology and education, particularly focusing on the transformative potential of Generative AI in language learning. She is keenly exploring how AI-driven tools can be integrated into language teaching frameworks to make learning more interactive, personalized, and effective.

Saira teaches English courses at GECE.

• Ph.D. Education (In progress), Institute of Business Management
• M.Phil., Education, Institute of Business Management
• M.Ed., University of Karachi
• B.Ed., University of Karachi

As the former Manager of Professional Development at Fatimiyah Education Network (FEN), Quratulain facilitated curriculum development and created innovative math lesson plans for elementary grades, while also mentoring math teachers. Moreover, she has conducted pedagogical training sessions both within and outside of FEN. Quratulain has been associated with Fatimiyah College of Education as a faculty member in their B.Ed. (Hons.) program since 2017.

Her research interests revolve around mathematics education, with a specific focus on elementary mathematics and its application in real-life scenarios.

Quratulain teaches Mathematics pedagogy courses at GECE, Hussainabad.

• M.Phil., Education, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
• Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), Cambridge Assessment English

Rabiya has worked at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development as visiting faculty in their M.Ed. and M.Phil. programs, and has also served as the editor for the AKU-IED Blog during this period. She brings over a decade of classroom teaching experience in schools, such as the British Overseas School and CAS school in Karachi, and holds special interest in teaching English for Academic Purposes.

Rabiya teaches English proficiency courses at the College.

• • M.Phil., Education, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
  • M.A., English Literature and Linguistics, National University of Modern Languages, Karachi
  • B.Ed. Hons, University of Sindh

  Deenar Khowaja has extensive experience in teaching English language and linguistics courses. She has worked with various institutions focusing on language pedagogy and has led teacher training programs aimed at improving classroom instruction methods. Her research interests lie in enhancing language learning strategies and integrating contextualized teaching approaches to maximize student engagement.

  Deenar teaches English pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.Phil., Teacher Education (in progress), University of Karachi
• B.Ed. Hons, University of Karachi (Gold Medalist)

Zanira has been associated with the education field for more than 5 years and has worked as an elementary and secondary teacher at both government and private schools. Most recently, Zanira was working as an Academic/ Career Counselor at the college level.
Zanira teaches Science pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• Ed.S., Education Specialist – Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
• MSc., Comparative Social Policy, University of Oxford, UK
• BSc. (Hons.) in Biotechnology, Imperial College, UK

After graduating from Oxford, Umber initially worked as a research associate with a development consultancy in Karachi. Her projects spanned education, health, and children’s rights, funded by international donor agencies such as UNICEF.
Umber later joined Karachi Grammar School as a science teacher. Drawing on her strong science background, she focused on making classroom science more authentic by incorporating scientific methods and practices into curriculum topics. Developing a keen interest in teacher education, Umber received training and worked as both a researcher and STEM coach with AKU-IED. Her work included designing STEM curricular unit plans tailored to the Pakistani classroom.
Umber has supported teachers across Pakistan as a facilitator for Holistic Science workshops. She also volunteers as a science teacher mentor in katchi abaadi (informal settlement) school projects in Karachi.
Umber teaches science pedagogy at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.Phil., Education, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
• M.Ed., Educational leadership and Management, University of Karachi
• B.Ed., English, University of Karachi

Dur e Zenab has a robust background in educational leadership and curriculum development. Her work involves mentoring teachers and designing instructional strategies that enhance student engagement. She has conducted various teacher development workshops, emphasizing leadership in classroom management and innovative teaching approaches.

Dur e Zainab teaches Child Development and Education Psychology courses at GECE, Hussainabad.

• M.Phil., Education, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development (Achieved Greater Distinction)
• B.Ed., Iqra University
• MBA in Health Management, DOW University of Health Sciences
• Pharm-D, Jinnah Medical and Dental College

Kiran has more than 8 years of experience in the field of education, working in various capacities such as teacher, practicum mentor, research supervisor, and lecturer.
Kiran began her journey with the Beaconhouse School System, where she taught Science and Social Studies using the Project-Based Learning Approach. She simultaneously served as the Student Protection Coordinator and Motivation Programme In-charge. She has also worked as a visiting lecturer at the Notre Dame Institute of Education, where she taught science courses to B.Ed. elementary and secondary students.
Kiran teaches science pedagogy courses at the College.

• M.A., Urdu Literature, University of Karachi
• B.A., Urdu Literature, University of Karachi
• 50-hour online course, 2024 Hindi and Urdu Teacher Training Institute, New York University

Yasmin was associated with the Generations School for nearly 24 years as an Urdu teacher. She has designed curricula for private schools and has authored over 350 storybooks for young children. Additionally, she has written textbooks for students from pre-nursery to class five.
Yasmin is also a distinguished storyteller and regularly participates in داستان گوئی (the ancient art of Urdu storytelling) at conferences and other events.
Yasmin teaches Urdu pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.Ed., Teaching & Learning, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
• B.A., St. Joseph’s College, Karachi

Umbreen Badar is an experienced educationist with over 20 years in the field of education. Umbreen has coached over 100 teachers and second-line leaders through capacity-building programs at various institutions.
Umbreen teaches general education courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.S., Educational Leadership and Management, SZABIST (Chancellor’s Role of Honor)
• READyslexia Diploma Course (RDC)
• Diploma in Early Childhood Education, Teachers’ Resource Centre (TRC)

Maryium Amir has over 20 years of experience in educational leadership, classroom management, and early childhood education. She has served in roles such as Academic Coordinator, Teacher Trainer, and In-house Remedial Program Lead. She has conducted teacher training workshops, introduced innovative approaches such as SEL and STEAM integration, and contributed to initiatives that promote collaboration among teachers and student engagement in classrooms.
Beyond her professional roles, Maryium has pursued research in early childhood education and leadership practices in Pakistan. Her published work includes studies on differentiated instruction and the impact of school leadership on primary education.
Maryium teaches general education courses at GECE, Hussainabad.

• Certification in Teaching Primary Mathematics, National Institute of Education, Singapore
• M.Phil. in Education, The Aga Khan University
• M.Ed., Notre Dame Institute of Education
• B.Ed., Notre Dame Institute of Education
• IGCE in Secondary Mathematics Teaching, Australian Catholic University, Australia

Saima worked with AKU-IED and contributed to various mathematics projects. As a consultant, she led a team of developers and reviewed the creation of mathematics modules designed to offer low-tech solutions. In her role as a Math Associate, Saima worked on the STA-DEEP Phase II and III projects, where she developed training modules and provided training to master trainers. Additionally, Saima has designed and conducted several continuous professional development courses. Earlier, she served as the Subject Lead at Zindagi Trust, focusing on the professional development of government school mathematics teachers. She also worked as an O-Level Mathematics teacher at The City School.
Saima teaches Mathematics content course at GECE, Hussainabad

• M.Sc. in Educational Assessment (in progress), University of Oxford, UK
• Ph.D. in Finance, University of Wollongong, Australia
• M.B.A., University of Wollongong, Australia

Dr. Hameedah Sayani is an experienced educator and leader with a rich and diverse background in finance, higher education, and non-profit management. She holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and is currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Educational Assessment at the University of Oxford.
Her academic career spans teaching and leadership roles at both national and international universities. Dr. Sayani has served as the CEO of Zindagi Trust, where she managed a large team and significantly enhanced educational outcomes for over 3,500 students.
She has several publications to her credit and regularly develops and reviews content for business titles published by Pearson.
Dr. Sayani teaches assessment courses at the College.

• M.Phil. (in progress), Education, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
• M.A., English Literature, University of Karachi
• M.Ed., Hamdard University (Gold Medalist)
• B.Ed., Hamdard University
• B.A., Economics, Advanced English & Education, University of Karachi

Rashida Murtaza is an accomplished educator with over 15 years of experience in teaching, training, and school leadership. She is also a skilled teacher trainer, having collaborated with institutions such as the Teachers’ Development Center and the Educational Resource Development Center.
Passionate about teaching and learning, she has taught English Language/Literature and Social Sciences at various levels and has served as a visiting faculty member at renowned universities in Karachi.
Rashida teaches general education courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad

• M.Phil. in Pakistan Studies, National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad
• B.Ed. (Hons.), Sukkur IBA University

Sorath graduated from Sukkur IBA University with a specialization in Mathematics and Physics. Her undergraduate research focused on “Exploring Language Ideologies of English Language Teachers in EMO Schools, Sukkur.” She then pursued an M.Phil. in Pakistan Studies at Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, where her research examined “Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions of the Impacts of the 2022 Floods on Educational Recovery.”
Sorath teaches Social Studies pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• M.A., International Relations (2nd Position), University of Karachi
• B.A., University of Sindh

Anam Zahra is a graduate of the University of Karachi, Pakistan, holding a Masters degree in International Relations. She has served as a United People Global Sustainability Leader, training community members on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She is also an Empower Women Media Fellow, dedicated to promoting gender equality, peacebuilding, and religious freedom through media, education, and strategic leadership gatherings. Additionally, she participated in the Insight Collaborative Summer Mentorship Program, which focuses on advancing conflict resolution through training and global placements. In 2022, she was honored with the IFSPD Presidential Fellowship by the International Foundation for Sustainable Peace and Development (IFSPD).
With teaching experience in Social Studies and English Literature, Anam emphasizes integrating civil rights education in Pakistan, alongside human rights and climate change education. She is also an academic writer, with her work addressing topics such as period poverty, climate change, women’s rights, and armed conflicts.
Anam teaches Social Studies pedagogy courses at the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

• B.Ed., Virtual University (in progress)
• M.B.A., Federal Urdu Science
• B.B.A., Federal Urdu Science University
• Diploma in Tajweed and Tafheem ul Quran, Quran Institute

Shafaq has over 8 years of teaching experience at the school level. In 2018, she joined Generation’s School as their Lead Teacher for Islamiyat, where she was involved in curriculum design, planning, exploring new teaching pedagogies and assessment activities. As a team lead, she was also mentoring other teachers on their lesson planning and delivery.

Shafaq teaches Islamic Studies at the College.