The UNESCO Entrepreneurship Education Network (EE-Net) Pakistan Chapter, appointed by the Institute of Business Management, organized a webinar on “Embedding Entrepreneurship in Foundational Education in collaboration with a Member of the National Curriculum Council. It brought together national and international experts to explore innovative approaches for integrating entrepreneurial skills into early childhood education. The session was moderated by Ms. Zehra Habib, Curriculum & Assessment Expert at the National Curriculum Council (NCC), and co-moderated by Mr. Raza Abbas, Focal Person of the UNESCO EE-Net Pakistan Chapter. The panel featured the following esteemed guests: Dr. Nasreen Bano, Headmistress and Former Joint Educational Advisor; Ms. Saima Abbas, Curriculum Expert, National Curriculum Council; Ms. Shafia Rafique, Field Practitioner and Child Development Expert; and Ms. Amna Azhar, Education and Innovation Consultant.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Saima Abbas, who leads the webinar series, emphasized the urgency of embedding entrepreneurial mindsets from an early age and the critical role curriculum design plays in shaping future-ready learners. She stressed the need for age-appropriate curricula and assessment frameworks, noting that while skills such as innovation, risk-taking, creativity, and critical thinking are inherently challenging to measure, integrating structured assessment can transform how these skills are nurtured and valued in the education system.
The discussions focused on the importance of entrepreneurship education during foundational years, exploring child-centered pedagogies, and drawing on both global and national models. Dr. Nasreen Bano highlighted various public sector initiatives aimed at embedding entrepreneurship at multiple education levels. Ms. Shafia Rafique underscored the necessity of introducing entrepreneurial learning in early childhood to cultivate critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving from a young age.
Ms. Amna Azhar advocated for project-based learning and idea-generation workshops as effective strategies to spark innovation in early learners. Ms. Saima Abbas elaborated on how entrepreneurial concepts can be meaningfully embedded into early learning curricula to help children develop key 21st-century skills such as innovation and leadership. She concluded by emphasizing that policy-level efforts must include comprehensive teacher training, adequate funding, and systemic reforms. “We must adopt system thinking, where policymakers, teachers, students, industry personnel, and the community collaboratively and inclusively work towards embedding entrepreneurship across all levels of education. Nothing must be done in isolation,” she said. She further noted that teacher training programs should focus on hands-on, inquiry-based, and project-based learning approaches that empower teachers to foster entrepreneurial mindsets. Continuous support and mentorship are essential to ensure confidence and long-term impact.
The webinar was accompanied by a nationwide survey completed by stakeholders from both public and private sectors. The insights gathered will be compiled, along with expert contributions, into a comprehensive policy recommendation document to guide the integration of entrepreneurship education at the school level both in Pakistan and internationally.