26/12/2025
Strengthening Quality Education through School Adoption: An Online Consultative Meeting of the Sir Rahim Shah Akhunkhail Foundation
Under the guidance of Dr. Itbar Khan, Associate Professor, Department of Education, the Sir Rahim Shah Akhunkhail Foundation has initiated a school adoption programme aimed at improving the quality of education in Upper and Lower Dir. As part of this initiative, the Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Education, University of Malakand, has formally adopted five public sector schools to work collaboratively on issues of quality, leadership, and institutional development. The adopted schools include:
1. Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Ramora, Dir Lower
2. Government Higher Secondary School for Boys, Ramora, Dir Lower
3. Government Higher Secondary School, Chakdara, Dir Lower
4. Government Primary School, Mandesh, Dir Lower
5. Government Centennial Higher Secondary School, Dir Upper
Dr. Itbar Khan is serving as the focal person for the school adoption programme. The first consultative meeting of the Foundation, involving Sir Rahim Shah Akhunkhail, the focal person, and school leadership, was held online via Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on December 24, 2025. This inaugural meeting marked the formal commencement of coordinated engagement between the Foundation and the adopted schools.
The meeting was attended by the following participants:
1. Sir Rahim Shah Akhunkhail, Chairman and Founder, Sir Rahim Shah Akhunkhail Foundation
2. Dr. Itbar Khan, Focal Person, School Adoption Programme
3. Anis Ur Rahman, Principal,Government Centennial Higher Secondary School, Dir Upper
4. Dr. Wali Rehman, Member, Dir Think Tank Core Committee
5. Mr. Alamgir, Former Principal, Government Higher School Hathian
6. Dr. Usman, Principal, Government Higher Secondary School for Boys, Ramora, Dir Lower
7. Dr. Hafiza Bibi, Principal, Government Girls Centennial Higher Secondary School, Ramora, Dir Lower
The session began with brief introductions, followed by presentations from the school principals, who shared overviews of their respective institutions, including student enrolment, teaching staff, and prevailing academic and administrative challenges. The discussion highlighted common issues faced by public sector schools, while also reflecting a shared commitment to institutional improvement.
In his address, Sir Rahim Shah Akhunkhail thanked the participants for their engagement and commended their dedication to the cause of quality education. He emphasized that sustainable change begins with ownership, self-realization, and the development of a culture of responsibility within institutions. Stressing the primacy of human agency over material resources, he noted that meaningful reform starts with changing mindsets and cultivating a sense of purpose among educators and leaders.
Mr. Alamgir, drawing on his extensive experience as a school leader, shared practical insights from his tenure, highlighting the role of servant leadership, collective responsibility, team building, community involvement, accountability, and institutional ownership in transforming school culture and performance. Dr. Wali Rehman further underscored the importance of dedication and the continuous development of human resources as key determinants of school quality.
The meeting was highly interactive, allowing participants to freely exchange ideas and reflect on best practices. It was concluded that Dr. Itbar Khan would arrange an exposure visit and consultative meeting for the principals and vice principals of Government Higher Secondary Schools Jewar and Hathian, enabling participants to gain first-hand experience of effective instruction, an enabling environment, and management practices. Additionally, it was agreed that the principals would constitute groups of teachers from their respective schools, and, where necessary, the Foundation would facilitate targeted professional development and training programmes.
The meeting concluded on a note of optimism, collective commitment, and resolve, with participants expressing a shared belief that meaningful educational change is possible through self-transformation, collaboration, and sustained engagement with schools and communities.
