The couple, who arrived in the country last night, went to the Islamabad Model College for Girls in the capital, touring classrooms and posing for a group picture with some of the young students, ranging from kindergarten age students to sixth formers, in a tour of high security today. The visit was designed to champion the importance of quality education, and highlight how girls benefit from pursuing higher education and professional careers.

The government-run school in central Islamabad, which has pupils between the ages of 4 and 18, was established in 1978.

It currently benefits from the Teach for Pakistan programme, a fast-track teacher training programme modelled on the UK’s Teach First scheme, which is focused on improving the quality of teaching in schools which serve families from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Mohammed Sohailkhan, area education officer, explained that the quality of education, particularly for girls, varied across the country.

“In recent years there has been gradual progress in understanding how important education is for girls and young women. There is a realisation of what it can mean in terms of jobs and prospects,” he said.

“I can’t paint you an entirely rosy picture. It does still fluctuate wildly, particularly in rural regions, where there has traditionally been cultural barriers towards this, notably in terms of sending girls away to college. But these barriers are slowly being broken down.”

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