KARACHI — The Sindh Cabinet has approved a five-year inclusive education partnership between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) and the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), aimed at expanding access to schooling for children with disabilities in Sindh.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed Saturday at the Chief Minister House, witnessed by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who called the agreement a reflection of the province’s commitment to inclusive education and disability rights.
The partnership addresses a longstanding crisis: according to UNICEF, roughly 96% of children with disabilities in Pakistan are not enrolled in school. Sindh alone counts an estimated 7.4 million out-of-school children, with disability, poverty and gender gaps among the leading causes.
What the Sindh-AKU Inclusive Education Agreement Covers
Under the MoU, AKU-IED will establish an Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Unit, featuring sensory rooms, therapy spaces and resource centres. Over five years, the university plans to train more than 2,000 educators, with the goal of reaching an estimated 500,000 schoolchildren across the province.
Training will be delivered through modular courses, Training-of-Trainers programmes, and certification pathways. AKU-IED will also launch a specialisation in inclusive education within its Bachelor of Education programme.
The agreement also includes a research and advocacy framework, covering baseline assessments, implementation evaluations, and annual policy commissions. Organisers plan biennial SEN conferences, policy seminars, and public education campaigns featuring multimedia resources and toolkits.
Leadership Reactions to the Sindh Inclusive Education Deal
Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President of Aga Khan University, said the true measure of an education system lies in whether it reaches those historically left furthest behind, adding that preparing teachers and schools to educate children with special needs would help all children fulfil their potential.
Professor Farid Panjwani, Dean of AKU-IED, said the initiative addresses a longstanding gap in Sindh’s education system.
Funding and Long-Term Sustainability
The Sindh government will provide grant funding, while AKU-IED contributes technical expertise and institutional resources. The newly formed SEN Unit will also develop a strategic roadmap to sustain outcomes beyond the initial five-year term.
Officials described the initiative as a necessary step toward equitable education access for children with disabilities across Sindh.