Islamabad, 21st November 2025: OxfordAQA conducted its series of impactful ‘Continuous Professional Development’ (CPD) training sessions across Pakistan’s major educational hubs, Lahore, and Islamabad; reinforcing its commitment to empowering teachers with world-class teaching methodologies. Led by Jamie Kirkaldy, Head of Teaching and Learning Support at OxfordAQA, the sessions brought together teachers to explore practical strategies for embedding critical thinking into classroom practice.
In the rapidly changing educational landscape, Continuous Professional Development serves as the bridge between traditional teaching methods and the dynamic needs of 21st-century learners. It enables educators to reflect on their practice, learn new strategies, and implement evidence-based approaches that directly impact student outcomes.
“Critical thinking is at the heart of OxfordAQA’s qualifications,” said Jamie Kirkaldy. “Our CPD programme is designed to help teachers embed these skills into everyday teaching, so students learn to question, evaluate, and think independently.” He also elaborated how CPD, particularly CPD that focuses on enhancing higher-order critical thinking skills is a powerful catalyst for educational transformation. Teachers who engage in CPD are better equipped to model critical thinking behaviors, design learning experiences that challenge students to move beyond surface-level understanding and facilitate deeper classroom discussions that encourage analytical reasoning – all of which are key components to success in examinations and higher education.
Salma Adil, Director OxfordAQA mentioned at the occasion “Embedding critical thinking into everyday teaching is not just important—it’s essential for preparing students to thrive in a complex, globalised world. At OxfordAQA, we believe this is the foundation for lifelong learning and success”.
About OxfordAQA
OxfordAQA is an international exam board that provides International GCSEs and A-levels to schools across the world. Created as a partnership between Oxford University Press, a department of the University of Oxford, and AQA, the UK’s largest provider of GCSEs and A-levels, OxfordAQA is built on unrivalled experience and expertise in education and assessment. OxfordAQA qualifications are designed specifically for international students, to equip them with the higher-order skills they need to succeed, at university and beyond.
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Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
