Bridging Skill Gaps: HEC Launches Teacher Training After LSAT Findings
— March 5, 2025
ISLAMABAD (AIA) The Higher Education Commission (HEC), through its World Bank-supported project Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP), has conducted a nationwide training programme titled “Equipping Teachers to Foster Learning Skills in Students” for educators in affiliated colleges.
The initiative, led by the Post-Secondary Education Reform Unit (PERU), aims to improve teaching quality in resource-limited affiliated colleges by strengthening teachers’ ability to develop critical learning skills in students. The training was designed in collaboration with the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), with a team of 18 NAHE-certified trainers, led by Dr Kashif Suhail Malik, a consultant and master trainer at IIUI. Together, they trained over 300 teachers from across Pakistan.
The programme was conducted in eight cohorts across major cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Bahawalpur, Lahore, and Skardu. The initiative followed the results of the Learning Skills Assessment Test (LSAT), which assessed first-semester students on three essential skills:
• Information Management
• Communication
• Problem-Solving
The LSAT results highlighted significant gaps, raising concerns about students’ academic readiness. In response, HEC developed this training to equip educators with modern strategies to foster critical thinking, effective communication, and structured information management.
This initiative underscores HEDP’s ongoing efforts to uplift Pakistan’s higher education sector, particularly in decentralised institutions like affiliated colleges. By empowering teachers with contemporary pedagogical tools, the programme aims to bridge student skill gaps and prepare them for both academic and professional success.
A second phase of LSAT is planned between mid-April and late May 2025 to assess the training’s impact on student outcomes.