Tabadlab

Tabadlab Advisory Services | Robust Data & Insights | Strategic Communication | Political Engagement

Tabadlab is an advisory services firm and Think Tank that enables firms, institutions and leaders to achieve better outcomes for all. Tabadlab’s approach to understanding change focuses on the intersection of data and evidence, strategic communication and persuasion, and political engagement.

02/03/2026

Pakistan’s teacher shortage runs deeper than we think.

The Missing Ustaani estimates that more than 115,000 additional teachers are needed just to adequately serve children who are already enrolled in school. That figure does not even account for the 26 million children who are out of school.

But this is not just a numbers problem. It is a gender equity problem.

As Dr Nishat Riaz of the Malala Fund puts it, “Adequate female teachers are not a luxury, they are a necessity.” In many communities, girls’ enrolment and retention depend directly on whether a female teacher is present. When she is missing, classrooms are empty.

The learning crisis and the gender gap are intertwined. Solving them requires treating teacher availability, especially the deployment of female teachers, as a central policy priority.

Read our report, The Missing Ustaani👇

https://lnkd.in/dqhmBAVc

27/02/2026

Teacher shortages in Pakistan are not just about numbers. They are about skills, specialisation, and system design.

The Missing Ustaani reports that one of the most critical gaps lies in the centralisation of teacher recruitment and the shortage of subject-specialist teachers, particularly at middle and higher levels, where content mastery directly shapes learning outcomes. The report also highlights that teacher shortages are uneven across regions, which makes decentralised, context-specific hiring essential. A one-size-fits-all solution will not work.

These findings were strongly endorsed at the report’s launch by Dr Shahid Soroya, Director General of the Pakistan Institute of Education, who emphasised the widespread lack of subject specialists and the need to localise teacher recruitment to reflect regional realities.

The diagnosis is clear. The challenge now is implementation.

Read The Missing Ustaani for deeper insights👇

lnkd.in/dqhmBAVc

25/02/2026

Pakistan’s population growth isn’t simply a numbers issue — it’s a sustainability challenge.

When population growth outpaces planning, the pressure is felt everywhere: overcrowded classrooms, stretched health facilities, and limited economic opportunity. This is not a challenge unique to Pakistan, but it is one that demands urgent, evidence-based action.

Research shows that every $1 invested in family planning can generate up to $23 in savings elsewhere — freeing up public resources for better schools, stronger healthcare, and a more resilient future.

To learn more, read the Research and Development Solutions' research article highlighting the economic cost of unintended pregnancies and making a strong fiscal case for prioritising family planning to support Pakistan’s economic stability 👇

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1563721/full

22/02/2026

You cannot fix learning with unprepared teachers.

The Missing Ustaani makes it clear that hiring alone will not solve Pakistan’s education crisis. Teachers need an enabling environment and regular training in subject content, pedagogy, and the evolving demands of a fast-changing world.

Dr Samia Dogar puts it powerfully. Children are shaped by families, society, and teachers. When teachers are undertrained or unsupported, the entire chain of learning weakens. Academic grooming and continuous professional development are not add-ons. They are the backbone of quality education.

If we want students ready for a global, competitive future, we must first invest in the people at the front of the classroom.

Read our report, The Missing Ustaani 👇

lnkd.in/dqhmBAVc

17/02/2026

The Missing Ustaani report highlights that fixing Pakistan’s teacher shortage requires rethinking recruitment and deployment, including structured public–private partnerships to improve how teachers are hired and managed. 📚 👩‍🏫

Punjab offers a real-time example. As Dr. Javed Ahmed Malik noted, 16,000 schools have been outsourced, and thousands of teachers hired through private operators — showing reform can move fast.

But when teachers are paid at or below minimum wage, tough questions follow: Is this sustainable? What does it mean for quality?

Read more in The Missing Ustaani report 👇

https://tabadlab.com/the-missing-ustaani/

More than 400 public middle schools with girls’ enrolment in Pakistan operate with just one teacher. 👩‍🏫Middle school is...
23/01/2026

More than 400 public middle schools with girls’ enrolment in Pakistan operate with just one teacher. 👩‍🏫

Middle school is meant to deepen learning — introducing subject specialisation across literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies. Instead, one teacher is expected to cover all subjects, across multiple grades, while managing administration and keeping the school running. 🏫

This is not a question of effort. It is a failure of system design.
Without subject-specialist teachers, learning quality declines, engagement weakens, and girls are quietly pushed off the education pathway.

The impact shows up later — in dropout, low transition to secondary school, and diminished opportunities for girls.

The Missing Ustaani brings together national and provincial data to show how teacher shortage at the middle level is quietly holding girls back — and what it will take to ensure access is matched with real learning and support.

Read the full report to find out more👇
https://lnkd.in/dqhmBAVc

For many girls in Pakistan, enrolling in primary school is already one of the hardest steps. 🏫For thousands who do make ...
22/01/2026

For many girls in Pakistan, enrolling in primary school is already one of the hardest steps. 🏫

For thousands who do make it into a classroom, learning unfolds in schools that rely on just one teacher. 👩‍🏫

One teacher, multiple grades.
One teacher, dozens of learning levels.
One teacher responsible for instruction, administration, school upkeep, parent engagement, training requirements, and the emotional safety of young children — all at once.

Across the country, more than 22,000 public primary schools with girls’ enrolment operate with a single teacher. The challenge is most acute in Sindh and Balochistan, where over half of all primary schools enrolling girls depend on just one teacher.

For many girls, this is not simply a staffing issue. It shapes their first experience of education, their confidence as learners, and their likelihood of staying in school.

The Missing Ustaani brings together national and provincial data to show how teacher shortages at the primary level are quietly holding girls back — and what it will take to ensure access is matched with real learning and support.

Read the full report to find out more👇
https://lnkd.in/dqhmBAVc

Making it to middle school remains a significant hurdle for many girls in Pakistan.For those who do manage to enrol, the...
19/01/2026

Making it to middle school remains a significant hurdle for many girls in Pakistan.

For those who do manage to enrol, the challenge often continues inside the classroom, where persistent teacher shortages undermine learning and retention.

The situation is particularly acute in Punjab, where more than 8,000 additional teachers are needed across over 2,000 public middle schools.

The Missing Ustaani brings together data, provincial insights, and policy analysis to highlight where the system is falling short, and what it will take to ensure girls receive the teachers, attention, and support they need at this critical stage.

Read the full report to find out more👇

https://lnkd.in/dqhmBAVc

06/01/2026

Aftab Haider, CEO of Pakistan Single Window (PSW), speaking at the Trade, Tariffs and Beyond: Building Pakistan’s Export Economy event, highlighted the three major problems businesses in Pakistan are facing today — beyond tariffs.

Lack of access to finance 💵 — businesses with strong innovation potential, particularly women-led firms and SMEs, continue to struggle with financial visibility and access to support.

Limited access to information 📢 — fragmented regulatory databases and minimal insight into global export markets constrain firms’ ability to grow and compete.

Weak business-to-business (B2B) connectivity 👥 — underdeveloped networks of communication and collaboration continue to create gaps across the private sector.

To hear more insights on Pakistan’s business landscape and the future of export-led growth, watch Tabadlab’s full livestream of Trade, Tariffs and Beyond: Building Pakistan’s Export Economy on our YouTube.

Happy New Year from the team at Tabadlab — here’s to many more years of growth, impact, and meaningful change ahead! 🎉 ...
01/01/2026

Happy New Year from the team at Tabadlab — here’s to many more years of growth, impact, and meaningful change ahead! 🎉

We’re hiring: Associate Tabadlab is expanding its team! If you are interested in: ◆ Pursuing a growth track focused on c...
01/01/2026

We’re hiring: Associate

Tabadlab is expanding its team! If you are interested in:

◆ Pursuing a growth track focused on cross-sectoral experience
◆ Problem-solving supported by rigorous research, data analytics and insights
◆ Working with stakeholders across the ecosystem

Apply now 👉 https://tabadlab.com/tabadlab-careers/

We’re hiring: Director AdvisoryHave you designed and implemented innovative solutions that can improve outcomes at scale...
31/12/2025

We’re hiring: Director Advisory

Have you designed and implemented innovative solutions that can improve outcomes at scale?

We are looking for passionate, driven and quality-obsessed professionals who can lead a portfolio at Tabadlab. If you have a strong track record in systems thinking, building teams, and generating momentum behind bold ideas, this can be your next challenge.

Apply now 👉 https://tabadlab.com/tabadlab-careers/

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