Government to make academic audit process a regular feature

The federal government would make academic audit process a regular feature of educational development process to improve standard of education. This was stated by Federal Minister for Education Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani at the inaugural session of two day National Stakeholders Conference held on Thursday.
The conference was arranged to share the National Assessment Findings 2008 from Grade 4 to 8th students from public and private schools selected on stratified random sampling basis. The federal minister termed educational assessment as essential to gather evidence about the learning targets achieved by students in a specific learning environment.
He said that the findings of this assessment would facilitate the policy makers and education managers to take concrete initiative for improving the quality of learning in our schools. Appreciating the efforts of NEAS, Bijarani said this essential organisation has made huge contribution for ensuring quality education in the country.
NEAS has a permanent footing in the ministry of education and the ministry is using the findings of its assessment in reforming the education system, he said. National Education Policy also reiterates to institutionalise National and Provincial NEAS network at all levels for auditing of education performance, the minister said.
Our teacher development process is not up to the mark and there is need to equip the teachers with modern teaching techniques including questioning and classroom observations, the minister said. Similarly, maintaining the standard of education is essential to meet the challenges of poverty, social inequalities, gender discrimination and extremism.
The minister assured that the government would make every effort to overcome the shortcoming of education system. Bijarani appreciated the World Bank, DfID in organising the 3rd National Stakeholder Conference. Secretary Ministry of Education Abdul Rauf said that the conference would help stakeholders and practitioners to share valuable ideas at a platform.
NEAS has provided a tool to measure quality of education and identify the gaps, which can be addressed effectively, he said. Secretary of the Department for International Development Tim Butlur briefed that NEAS has carried out its National Assessment for Grade in March 2008 on a national sample of students with the objective of establishing baseline of achievement for Grade 4-8 students in Mathematics, Language, Social Studies and General Science.
The assessment took place for Grade 04 in 109 districts and 708 schools and Grade 08 in 118 districts and 741 schools, he informed. Country Director World bank Yusupha B. Crooks and other eminent educationist were also present on the occasion.