Managing Director
Managing Director
Profile of Saira Nazneen Ahsan
CEO & Founder of Sunshine Learning Center
President of Saira Foundation
English Language Trainer
British council, Dhaka (Former)
Part-time Faculty at North South University (NSU)
Teaching has always been her passion. She has been in this profession for last 32 years. After graduating with honors from the International Relations Department of Dhaka University she began her teaching career in an International School in Beijing China. Later she obtained Certificate in Pre-School Practice from Barnet College, United Kingdom.
She worked at Scholastica School and Mastermind school in Dhaka. She was an elementary school teacher at Tysons Corner Children Center, Virginia, United States. She, however, took a long break from teaching to take care of her ailing son. But her endeavor for teaching has never ended. She did a Master of Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education from the Monash University, Australia.
While in Ottawa, Canada she, however, had a change of mind. She started to focus on teaching English in a multicultural environment emphasizing on developing English language skills for those whose first language is not English. She did her Ontario Graduate Certificate in Teachers of English as a Second/ Foreign Language (TESOL/TESFL) from Ontario, Canada. TESOL certificate gives her the immunity to teach globally. This professional degree gives her the opportunity to teach adults as well as students of any age. She conducted Conversation Club at Algonquin College at Ottawa. She served at Algonquin Community College, St. Patrick’s Adult School and World Skills, Ottawa, Ontario. Eventually, she mastered the skills for teaching business English for corporate world and functional English for private and public sector officials.
Saira currently lives in Dhaka. She had been to six different countries including China, UK, USA, UAE, Singapore and Canada with her diplomat husband. Her husband Kamrul Ahsan served as Bangladesh Ambassador to Singapore and Canada and then worked as Secretary for Bilateral and Consular Affairs at the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh. He is now Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Russian Federation (7th posting). Saira’s orientation with different culture and extensive diplomatic life helped her to learn etiquettes, polite behavior and the use of diplomatic language. Also being the daughter of a retired civil servant (Additional Secretary), she has learnt all the core values and ethics from her parents.
She has taken Public Courses (integrated skills), IELTS courses, English for Business Communication Courses and Speaking Fluency Courses at the British Council Dhaka. She has successfully conducted English for Business Communication Courses, Speaking Courses and IELTS courses on behalf of British Council for Special Branch of Bangladesh Police, Ministry of Planning, DIGICON Telecommunication Ltd, My Out Sourcing (funded by ADB), Service Solutions, Dutch Embassy, UNFP etc. In addition to that, she has independently conducted ‘Business English’ and ‘English for Official Communication’ for corporate officials of Urmi Group, a leading Readymade Garments (RMG) exporter of Bangladesh and mid-level civil servants of Bangladesh Government at Bangladesh Institute of Administrative Management (BIAM).
Currently she is serving as part time faculty member at North South University in Bangladesh.Earlier she served at Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB) and Military Institute for Science and Technology.
Saira is the Founder and CEO of Sunshine Learning Center (SLC). This center provides most advanced and sophisticated professional services for children with different abilities. Her vision is to provide professional services with specialized therapies for children with spectrum disorder. Sunshine Learning Center started its journey in 2017 only with two kids and turned to a one of the leading professional organization in Bangladesh.
On 26 February 2021, she was awarded Channel I Digital Media Award 2020 for her outstanding contribution to the causes of special children in Bangladesh. In March 2021, she was again decorated by Zonta International, Dhaka for her contribution in the society for the children who are differently able. She was also honored by Westin Hotel and Marriot Hotel Group as an outstanding woman personality. “The InCaP” magazine showcased her as a professional icon. Recently “The prestige Magazine” covered her for her contribution in the field of Special Education and Women Empowerment.
She has passion for charities and contributed to a coffee table pictorial book on Singapore along with nine of her friends (spouses of Ambassadors), the publication ceremony of which was inaugurated by Honorable S.R. Nathan, the former President of Singapore. All the sales proceeds of this book went to Singapore Children’s Cancer Society.
On her free time, she takes photos and listens to music.
She can be reached through email at snahsan70@gmail.com and over phone at WhatsApp +8801760868346.