Sustained collective effort to make education policy a success

Source: The News

Link: http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=198393

 

Sustained collective effort to make education policy a success

Monday, September 14, 2009 Islamabad The new education policy is a step in the right direction but only a well-organised collective effort and sustained and elaborate government oversight at various tiers  can achieve the desired results. This was stated by prominent educationists while discussing the salient features of the new federal education policy, announced recently. Talking to APP, Principal ICMC College Rizwan Khan said the government has announced a well-meditated education policy, which would help raise the literacy rate in the country. He said many steps in the education policy like separating the cadre of teachers from management, uniform education and curriculum improvement, Apna Ghar Residential Schools and free education up to secondary school level could bring revolution in the education field.  The studies at intermediate level matter a lot in the careers of students and due to the relaxed environments of our colleges, students could not study up to their potential, but under a controlled and disciplined environment, we could produce highly educated youth, he said. He said the development of an individual is important for the progress of a nation and this education policy would help enable individuals to actively participate in the process of national advancement. Prominent educationist from Government Degree College for Men, H-9, Dr Salahuddin Darvesh said the education policy carries glimpses of PPP’s manifesto, envisioning a developed and educated country. From the time of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto till today, whenever PPP came into power, it always tried to elevate the social standard of the people through its people-friendly policies. The Education Ministry has set the ball rolling by mentioning the obvious that schools should have well trained teachers and quality books. Darvesh sees the policy as a well-knitted document, which has the capacity to get far reaching results by raising the standard of education. Progress in education is directly linked with quality curriculum, and special emphasis is put on qualitative changes in textbooks. Proper implementation and sufficient allocation of funds for the new education policy would remain key for achieving higher literacy rates and raising standards in schools and institutions of higher learning, he added. The policy has reiterated the government’s commitment to achieve tangible milestones and redress many of the issues hindering efforts at developing precious human resources. The initiative pledges better working conditions for teachers and raise in budgetary allocations, separates role of administrators and educators, and establishes district boards to monitor schools. For the first time, the missing link of career counselling for students, which can propel them to productive career paths, has been put under spotlight in the new policy. Prof Waheeduddin, Principal Islamabad Model College for Boys (IMCB) F-8/4, said the policy has emphasised on uniform syllabus, which is direly needed to end discrimination. Elevating the qualification of primary level teachers and giving them better grades would help them acquire respectable status in society, he said. Targets like increase in allocation for education to seven per cent of GDP by 2015 and substantial raise in HEC enrolment by the same year would be pivotal to put Pakistan on the world map as an educated country, he said. The policy has many targets to achieve, so the funding plans should be put in place to achieve the desired goals, he added. He pointed out that the holding of higher secondary classes at school level needs to be reviewed, as either the schoolteachers’ education would be improved or the faculty of colleges would be shifted to the school set up.