The inaugural ceremony of one-week skill-based teacher training workshop was held at Video Conference Room of the office of the Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences.
This workshop has been organised by Institute of English Language & Literature under sponsorship of Higher Education Commission, Islamabad for junior teachers of colleges and universities under the thematic umbrella term Professional Development of Teacher Teaching through Medium of English (TELLS).
Professor Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat, Vice-Chancellor, University of Sindh was the Chief Guest at this eve. Dr Burfat in his concise comments on this occasion maintained that the given workshop assumed greater importance in the wake of the fact that in the latest results of Central Superior Services (CSS) examinations only two percent candidates from Sindh had qualified. Whereas, the rest of 98 percent candidates had failed; which was alarming situation and calls for educational emergency.
Dr Burfat said he believed paucity of proficiency in both written English as a major cause behind that grand failure and deteriorating performing of candidates from Sindh. Dr Burfat remarked that Institute of English was capable of reversing the situation. He termed Institute of English as a face of the university as it had to prepare youth who possessed immaculate proficiency in spoken English.
Dr Burfat said almost 60 percent population of Pakistan including Sindh comprised youth who eagerly looked up to teachers like those working in the Institute of English to hone their English speaking skills so that they could conveniently compete in the national as well as international job market.
He expressed the hope that all the trainers who would be engaging various sessions of the workshop would give the audience their best. Dr Burfat paid rich tribute to the valuable services rendered by the Institute of English Language and Literature for the past 69 years in continuity.
He termed the department an umbrella institute, recognising it as a service department that arranged to teach English to more than 15,000 students of the university at undergraduate level. Dr Burfat also expressed enormous joy over the fast escalating number of PhD faculty at the Institute of English.
Dr Burfat also maintained that Institute of English Language & Literature with its earlier nomenclature of "Department of English" had always been looked at by all as a symbol of honesty, integrity, dedication, competence and service. He also informed that Department of English was one of the seminal departments of the university; the two others being Department of Education and Department of Economics. He said that Institute of English also had immense role and contribution towards preparing youth for appearing in multiple competitive examination held round the year. Dr Burfat said that one could ascertain the importance of English regionally, nationally and world-wide from the fact that 8,000 candidates out of total 19,000 who appeared in pre-admission test of University of Sindh for the year 2017 specified English as their choice one subject; whereas, 13,000 candidates marked English among top five options.
Earlier, Professor Dr Rafique Ahmed Memon, Director, Institute of English Language and Literature presented welcome speech and detailed briefing on various dimensions of the institute. He also extended his warm welcome and sincere gratitude to Vice-Chancellor for his support, cooperation and gracious presence.
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