Implementation of national professional standards stressed

The teachers, educators and academia have called for proper implementation of the National Professional Standards (NPS), saying that proper implementation on NPS could only happen through wide ranging partnerships of academia, training institutions, public and private sector, media and civil society organisations.
The dialogue, which was participated by over 500 student-teachers, teachers, educators and national experts who actively engaged in a series of social dialogues across country from October 5-29, on Sunday, unveiled its final report which reflected the consensus declaration. The title of the report also included the experts' recommendations for restructuring the country's curriculum.
The dialogues were held through interactive readings of National Professional Standards, one-by-one with formal discussions and recommendations for each standard to expedite implementation through several partners. Terming the NPS as "a milestone achievement" towards upgrading the status of teachers in Pakistan, the participants said that the focus of World Teachers' Day 2009 was recently finalised 10 National Professional Standards (NPS) for teachers and professional educators by the Ministry of Education.
These experts finalised their recommendations for effective implementation of national professional standards. They recommended that rapid dissemination of standards, national curriculum 2006 was important for standard one.
"For the implementation of this standard, there is an urgent need of subject based training with high priority to poorly educated PTC teachers while massive training is needed for implementing national curriculum standards/approaches. "Teachers to be imparted life skills training, to empathise with student's mental and psychological development. Equal opportunities should be provided to all students-gender, minorities, inclusive education," they said.
The experts opined that the national curriculum citizenship should be addressed and religion based biases should be avoided. Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aaghi (ITA), in collaboration with Dubai Cares and Oxfam and Pakistan Coalition for Education and many partner institutions held the extensive nation-wide dialogue.
The dialogues were held in many districts of Punjab and selected districts of Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan and Islamabad Capital Territory co-hosted by the partner organisations.