Rehana Parveen becomes first female education secretary

Rehana Parveen, the executive chairman of the National Skills Development Authority, has been appointed secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division under the education ministry.

This marks the first time a woman has been appointed as secretary of either the education ministry or its Secondary and Higher Education Division.

Her appointment was announced in a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Monday.

Following the Milestone School and College jet crash on Jul 21, the government removed former secretary Siddiq Zobayer after student protests, appointing BCS 13th batch officer Rehena to the post. She had previously served as executive chairman of the NSDA at secretary rank.

A review of the list of former secretaries of the Secondary and Higher Education Division shows that 38 people have served in the role, including 32 in the unified education ministry between 1972 and 2016, and six since the division was split.