Navab Aziz
Pakistani educator who established the first rural girls' schools network in the 1980s
Navab Aziz (1950–2017) was a trailblazing Pakistani educator who revolutionized girls' education in rural Punjab. Starting in 1982, she built the Siraj Education Network, which established 120 schools in regions where girls previously had no access to formal education. Her "Mobile School Buses" program (1985) used converted vans to bring classrooms to remote villages, reaching 5,000 students annually.
Aziz's innovative "Community Teacher Training"
model (1990) recruited local women as educators, creating sustainable employment while addressing cultural barriers. By 1995, her schools had achieved an 85% literacy rate among female students, far exceeding national averages. She pioneered the use of solar-powered classrooms in 1998, making education accessible in electricity-scarce areas.Her 1993 book "Light in the Dark Places" inspired similar initiatives across South Asia. Aziz worked with the UNICEF Pakistan to develop the Girls' Education Index, adopted by 12 countries. In 2005, she launched the Digital Learning Initiative, providing tablets with offline educational content to 50,000 students.
Despite facing threats from extremist groups, Aziz's legacy endures through the Navab Aziz Trust, which now operates 300 schools and has educated over 200,000 girls. Her work earned the Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2010. Current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif credits her model for Pakistan's 2020 education reforms.
Literary Appearances
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