Internship Location: Peshawar, Pakistan
Organization Type: State Government
Policy Areas: Education Policy
I successfully completed my internship with the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Ministry of Education in Pakistan as a Policy intern. This experience allowed me to translate my academic knowledge into practical governance and policy challenges. I performed a comparative policy analysis of educational funding frameworks between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, leading to a 13 percent increase in the budget compared to the previous year. Utilizing skills gained from my studies in International Program Evaluation, I developed actionable suggestions for fair resource allocation, including the initiation of community schools, budgeting for girls’ education, and enrolling out-of-school children. I participated in over five legislative sessions and committee meetings to evaluate education policy discussions and provided research assistance, along with drafting policy documents for the education committee. Through interviews with stakeholders, I collected qualitative insights to complement budget data assessments. The internship allowed me to facilitate communication across ministries by preparing memos and briefing documents for my supervisor. This internship enriched my grip of policy development, legislative procedures, and intergovernmental collaboration. I also enhanced my intercultural communication skills, effectively managing meetings with diverse stakeholders. The internship deepened my understanding of resource allocation and budgeting, policy formulation, legislative processes, and intergovernmental coordination. I tried to manage through bureaucratic limitations and adapted to varying organizational cultures with restricted access to resources. This internship greatly enriched my MIPA learning journey and strengthened my commitment to public service. I would recommend that every student at La Follette should do internship and apply the knowledge and skills, especially the statistical analysis skills, and bring something new to the class that might bring a positive impact.