The Department of Special Education Punjab in collaboration with the British Council Lahore organized a one-day consultative workshop for school heads on February 20, 2024. Apart from heads of all fields of the Special Education Department, heads from the School Education Department also participated in the workshop. The purpose of this workshop was to establish competency standards for heads of special education schools so that academic and administrative affairs in institutions could be improved.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Saima Saeed, Secretary of Special Education Punjab, emphasized the importance of implementing these standards as guidelines for positive reforms in institutions. Ms. Saima Saeed expressed her concern regarding the mainstreaming of special students. She stated that Pakistan is the only country among others providing free health services and assistive devices to special children on a large scale, enabling them to continue their education like regular children in regular schools as well. She appreciated the presence of heads from the School Education Department and expressed her belief that both departments should work together for the education and welfare of these special children by making the physical infrastructure disability-friendly, and mild categories of disability should be accommodated at any cost. During the session, Ms. Amina Munir, Director General Special Education, Ms. Khadija Tul Kubra, Additional Secretary Special Education, Ms. Rukhsana Asim, Education Program Manager, Ms. Khaula Minhas, Deputy Director Curriculum, and Dr. Dania Qazi from the British Council also participated. This initiative reflects the determination of the Punjab Special Education Department towards standardized education and positive changes in special educational institutions.
