PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Wednesday inaugurated its first Centre of Excellence for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) aimed at modernising the province’s higher education system and promoting research-driven learning.
The centre was inaugurated at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Academy of Research and Training (HEART) in Hayatabad, Peshawar. The ceremony was attended by officials from the Higher Education Department, academicians and representatives of educational institutions. Provincial Minister for Higher Education and Local Government Meena Khan Afridi was the chief guest on the occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Afridi said the establishment of the STEAM centre marked a significant step towards aligning higher education in the province with contemporary academic and technological requirements. He said the initiative would help students develop critical thinking, innovation and problem-solving skills essential for today’s competitive global environment.
He added that the centre would serve as a platform for advanced research, faculty training and academic collaboration in key disciplines, including science and engineering, while also integrating arts and creativity into technical education.
The minister reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to improving educational standards through innovation-driven policies, stating that similar initiatives would be undertaken to strengthen research, training and academic excellence across higher education institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
KP formally launches E-Transfer policy system
Earlier, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education, Arshad Ayub Khan, formally inaugurated the E-Transfer Policy System on Wednesday in Peshawar.
On this occasion, Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Khalid, Special Secretary Elementary and Secondary Education Masood Ahmad, Chief Planning Education Officer Zainullah, and other officials were also present.
After the inauguration, the provincial minister expressed his views and said that the provincial government has taken a historic step by introducing a successful E-Transfer Policy process in the province, through which teachers’ preferences and the merit policy have been ensured. He said that previously, the E-Transfer Policy process had been initiated twice, but there were shortcomings in it; however, now all deficiencies in the E-Transfer Policy process have been removed.
He added that the E-Transfer system will continue successfully in the province and, in light of the directives of the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Chief Minister, it will be further improved so that the education sector can be promoted in a better manner. He further stated that in the second phase, tenure-based and mutual (mutual consent) transfers will be carried out.
