In a first for Pakistan, the Sindh government has initiated an AI-based online training program for teachers, aiming to help educators adopt more efficient, effective, and modern teaching methods.
To formalize this initiative, the School Education & Literacy Department (SELD), UNICEF, and Khan Academy Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a ceremony in Karachi. Sindh’s Education Minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, attended as the chief guest.
Key officials present included School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Chief Curriculum Advisor Dr Fouzia Khan, UNICEF Sindh Education Manager Abeer Maqbool, UNICEF Sindh Chief Field Officer Prem Bahadur Chand, Khan Academy Pakistan CEO Zeeshan Hasan, Board Members Amin Hashwani and Naeem Zamindar, Deputy Director Atif Vighio, and other distinguished guests.
This six-month pilot project will provide training to 3,500 teachers across the Dadu, Tando Allahyar, Tharparkar, and Umerkot districts. Under the program, UNICEF will supply funding and ensure adherence to international standards, while Khan Academy Pakistan will be responsible for delivering the training and technical support.
At the core of the program is Khanmigo AI, Khan Academy’s AI-powered assistant. This tool is designed to assist teachers with lesson planning, preparing educational materials, and boosting classroom engagement. The training itself will consist of a mix of live online sessions and self-paced modules.
Officials believe this initiative will enhance both teaching practices and institutional quality throughout Sindh. Speaking at the event, Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah expressed his confidence that the AI-based training would be highly effective for teachers.
“The Sindh Government is committed to innovation and quality in education. By leveraging modern technology, our teachers will enter classrooms with greater confidence. This initiative will also ensure that students in remote districts of Sindh gain access to global standards of education. We are confident this program will serve as a model for the province and bring significant change to Pakistan’s education system,” he said.
Khan Academy Pakistan CEO Zeeshan Hasan highlighted that Khanmigo AI will save teachers valuable time, spark their creativity, and improve student engagement. UNICEF Education Manager Abeer Maqbool emphasized, “Through AI, our goal is to guarantee quality, effective, and inclusive education for every child.”
Board Member Amin Hashwani described the partnership as “a model of collaboration between government, international partners, and local institutions.” Meanwhile, Board Member Naeem Zamindar remarked, “Education is the most powerful driver of transformation for any nation. This step will equip students with the skills needed for the 21st century.”
Earlier, in a briefing session with UNICEF and Khan Academy representatives, Minister Sardar Shah was informed that teachers would be trained in a way that aligns with their textbooks and classroom activities. Officials noted that Khanmigo AI can instantly generate lesson plans, questions, and activities for specific topics, saving teachers significant preparation time. It can also create a wide variety of high-quality resources, such as worksheets, quizzes, and presentations. The briefing also highlighted that the AI assistant can help make classrooms more dynamic by suggesting interactive teaching methods and activities, which in turn increases student interest.
Crucially, because students learn at different paces, the AI will provide teachers with strategies and exercises tailored to various learning levels. Minister Sardar Shah concluded that this training would connect teachers with modern global educational trends, ensuring that students in Sindh receive an internationally benchmarked education.
He added that mastering this technology will not only improve teachers’ classroom delivery but also strengthen their career growth and confidence. At the ceremony’s conclusion, Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah endorsed the MoU as a witness, reaffirming the Sindh Government’s full support for the initiative. Teachers who successfully complete the training will receive official certificates. Officials believe this pilot project will lay the groundwork for a province-wide rollout of AI-enabled teacher training, marking a historic step toward reimagining education in Pakistan.
