Most imporant Teacher training

Highlighting the importance of trained and skillful teachers for uplifting the standard of education, speakers at a seminar called for maximum investment in training teachers.

They said that besides focus on communication skills, the sense of responsibility and the best use of latest technology should be key features of the training modules. The seminar New Directions in Teachers Development held at Hotel Pearl Continental was jointly organized by Mir Khalil ur Rahman Memorial Society Jang Group of Newspapers and the American International School System AISS on Monday. Senior academicians, principals of various colleges, teachers and students addressed the seminar.

School Education Department, Punjab, secretary Nadeem Ashraf said without properly trained teachers it was impossible to achieve the desired results. He said motivation level of teachers was the most important factor, adding without this even the best infrastructure and other facilities were useless.

Without command or grip over a particular subject, a teacher cannot enjoy respect of students”, he observed. He said it was unfortunate that profession of teaching, especially at the school level, was the last choice. He urged schoolteachers to be receptive to the latest technology.

Former provincial minister for Education Mian Imran Masood was of the view that teachers’ training could not be dealt in isolation. He said the desired results could not be achieved unless a direct linkage was established among three important factors i.e curricula, teachers training and infrastructure.

He also suggested that all the teachersí training institutes should be linked with the University of Education. Bishop of Lahore Dr Alexander John Malik said new directions in teachers’ development were in fact need of the hour.Educational institutions ought to be known by teachers, he said while referring to Cambridge and Oxford universities. People don’t prefer to enroll there because of beautiful buildings, he observed.

He said training for teachers should be a permanent feature. “Unfortunately, we don’t have good teachers”, he said adding “Without highly trained and motivated teachers effective education system cannot be ensured”.

Dr Malik said we needed to invest in teachers to the maximum to achieve desired results. He also highlighted the need of interaction between teachers and students, adding teachers should also keep themselves updated on modern technologies like internet. University of Education UoE Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Munawar S Mirza underlined the importance of communication skills.

Govt Postgraduate College for Women principal Samanabad Dr Tasleem Akhtar said teachers’ development was needed for overall development of education system. She was quite critical of today’s teachers, saying they lacked understanding and motivation. This is our dilemma, she remarked adding Where we talk about facilities and awards for teachers, they should also be held accountable for failing to deliver.

USA literacy specialist Dr Judith Findlay, AISS Principal Mark Rozic, Dean Faculty of Economics and Management Studies at the Punjab University Dr Muhammad Ehsan Malik, principal Govt College, Township, Dr Qayyum Mirza and a student Adeel also spoke on the occasion.