Our Team

Falak Shaikhani

Founder & Director

Falak Shaikhani, the founder of The Aster School, is extremely passionate about making a positive difference in Pakistan’s education system. She received training in early childhood education from Finland, UK and Dubai, and she also completer her Certificate of Educational Leadership from Harvard University. She is deeply inspired by the Finnish and Reggio Emilia approach, as well as the Early Year Foundation Stages (EYFS) approach in the British curriculum, both of which place student needs and abilities above all else. She believes firmly in the value of quality education, as she knows that it can change lives. “Nothing without joy!” is a phrase that succinctly captures her vision for little learners having a happy childhood and a successful future. It is because of her belief in joy that she loves travelling, exploration and adventure, and would like to make Aster an institute that embodies her love for discovery.

Her motto can be described as follows: “Whatever it Takes!” Falak is committed to giving her all in making Aster a joyful, nurturing place. Our entire team also believes in giving their all — whatever it takes!

Kashan Iqbal

Director

Kashan Iqbal holds an ACCA, and is the acting director at Alpha Core, Alpha College and Alpha High-School in Karachi, Pakistan. His experience as an individual driven to provide quality education at the primary and secondary levels in Pakistan makes him a valuable asset at Aster. It is his vision that a child should be provided quality education from an early age; a great foundation, in his opinion, goes a long way.

Mughees Bilwani

Director

Mughees Bilwani is an entrepreneur by profession. While his semester abroad at Monash University in Australia, he was exposed to very non-traditional teaching methods which encouraged him to explore it more. Mughees loves to try new things, he is an avid supporter of the use of technology and strongly believes in investing in Innovative Education Methods. He believes that people learn the most through real-life experiences which has influenced his philosophy for education: learning is not limited to a certain age, it is ever-flowing and continuous.

Nawaid Ali

Director

Nawaid Ali, also a director at Alpha Core, Alpha College and Alpha High-School, has been involved in the teaching profession for over 20 years. He is one of the most well reputed Physics instructors in Karachi – because of his invaluable experience and expertise as an educator he has been an integral part of Aster’s growth. It is his belief that every institution should provide a fulfilling and nurturing environment to students.

Omer Altaf

Director

Omer Altaf holds an ACCA, and as a director at Aster, is devoted to helping both the institution as well as the students at Aster evolve. He is also on-board at Alpha Core, Alpha College and Alpha High-School as a director. As a father, he remembers that he was very happy on the first day his daughter went to school – later on, being an educationist, he realized that although she was doing well, she had the ability to do something better. It was then that he realized the value of innovative pedagogy in early years, as it can instill valuable skills in a child for a rapidly changing world. He is currently the director of Alpha College and Alpha High-School.

Salman Mustafa

Director

Salman Mustafa holds an MSc in Economics, and has worked with a number of prestigious educational institutions in Karachi, such as the Beaconhouse School System and The City School. He currently also acts as the director at Alpha High-School, Alpha Core, Alpha College, and is committed to extending his expertise towards early childhood education in Pakistan. For him, his work as an educator is a choice before it is a profession. It is his belief that by actively working towards alternate, innovative teaching methodologies and spaces, educators, such as those at Aster, can drive a crucial change in the country’s education system.

Shehroz Iqbal

Director

Shehroz Iqbal holds an ACCA, and now works as an educationist in Pakistan. He is affiliated with Alpha Core, Alpha College and Alpha High-School as a director. For him, the idea behind Aster is to bring about a revolution in the education system in Pakistan. He believes that the early phase of a child’s education is the most critical part of any child’s growth and education. He recognizes that the current system in place for early education has a lot of flaws and is not suitable for our rapidly changing world. As a director at Aster, his plan is to develop a system that can help children to achieve their maximum potential as an individual.

Zarak Mushtaq

Director

Zarak Mushtaq believes in developing an education model which is less of an imposition of age-old, unquestioned traditional teaching methods – as an educationist, and a director at Alpha Core, Alpha College and Alpha High School, he is driven to work on pedagogy that is based on the fact that every child is different. As such, it is his vision for Aster, that early childhood education should nurture a child’s creative expression, so that they may explore their individuality and grow into their unique personalities in a healthy and happy way.