Karachi: Sindh Education Foundation SEF in collaboration with the Agha Khan University – Institute for Education Development AKUIED conducted a 2nd Educational Dialogue titled ‘Governance for Quality Teachers’ at a local hotel, in an effort to analyze developments in the field of education and to encourage open communication and constructive debate among stakeholders.

Over 120 people, which included major stakeholders belonging to the field of academics, practitioners working in the field of education and representatives from the Government and media personnel attended the event.

Education experts and members of academia gathered together to discuss measures which could be promoted in the field of education and to collectively arrive at some core recommendations and observations specifically in regards to teachers that can be forwarded to the relevant policy makers as a roadmap. Solutions were proposed that can be carried forward to the policy level for broader impact to aid the province of Sindh in particular and other provinces in general.

Taj Haider, policy planner and founding member Pakistan Peoples’ Party, said that a law should be passed which makes 85 percent attendance for teachers mandatory to help resolve the issue of low attendance by the teachers. He stated that head teachers should lead from the front and by doing so can resolve a lot of issues and motivate others to perform better.

Dr. Zubair Shaikh, Executive Director Sindh Teacher Education Development Project STEDA, said that it is essential that the professional capacity for teachers be developed in the country. He said that latest methodologies and technologies should be used to enhance teacher capacity and that a form of teacher licensing will be introduced by STEDA in the near future to regulate and maintain the quality of teachers.

Asghar Soomro, Advisor Communication and Outreach Social Policy and Development Centre, said there has been a constant problem with ghost employees in Pakistan, teachers drawing salaries without doing the job, which now gradually is being rectified with the use of technology.

Dr. Jan-e-Alam Khaki said that he was worried about the state of education in the country and there is a root problem about how we look at education. He said that education can be provided without passion and commended Prof. Anita Ghulam Ali, MD Sindh Education Foundation, on her never ending passion for the cause of education through the years.

Karamat Ali, Executive Director Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research PILER, said that it was essential that students be educated in proper schools by trained teachers instead of being taught at madrassas. He said that in the past there was a commitment to education that we have sadly lost somewhere along the way. Karamat said that article 25 A of the 18th amendment which calls for free education of all children is a great step in the right direction and it is imperative that it should be implemented by the Government.

Ms. Baela Raza, Founder Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi ITA, said that it is important that the parents and the civil society on the whole should have higher involvement in the children’s education which will undoubtedly help improve the current situation. She said there is also an issue of politicization in the field of education which is a cause of grave concern and needs to be resolved.