Education ministry gets first woman secretary

Rehana Parveen became the first ever Secretary to Ministry of Education as she has officially taken charge as Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Department.

Her appointment was confirmed through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Monday. She had been serving as the Executive Chairman (Secretary) of the National Skill Development Authority before joining here. 

The Ministry of Education, which was divided into two wings in November 2016 - the Secondary and Higher Education Department and the Technical and Madrasa Education Department - has so far seen seven secretaries and senior secretaries serve in the Secondary and Higher Education Department. Since independence in 1971, 33 officials have led the undivided Ministry of Education, but until now, no woman had been entrusted with the role. 

The appointment comes against the backdrop of student protests that forced the government to withdraw Siddique Zubair, the contractual senior secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Department, on July 23.