Speakers at the seminar on Thursday stressed the need for bringing a holistic change in the education sector to replace the old and outdated education system with new advanced methodologies of teaching.
The seminar with the theme 'Generative Processes for Learning and Institutional Development' was organised by Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKESP) to commemorate its 100th anniversary of establishment in a local hotel.
Sindh Education and Literacy Secretary Syed Ghulam Ali Pasha said to achieve quality of education had been the top priority of the government, adding the government's National Education Policy, 1998-2010 laid out a clear target in this regard.
He said government's national education policy also identified means for achieving the broader goals through continuous improvement in curriculum professional development of various stakeholders, introducing benchmark competencies and national education assessment, enhancing the capacities of various management bodies.
Pash said there were flaws in implementation of policies, which had deteriorated the quality of education system in the country.
He said that quality education could only be achieved through quality teaching. He called for creating an education-friendly environment for advancement in the education sector.
Speaking on 'Concept of Educational Quality and its Relationship with Institutional Development', the Chief Executive Pakistan Institute of Quality Control Lahore, Kamran Moosa said there were three major components of imparting quality education at the national level, including fundamentals of education, professional concept of teaching and management of quality.
He said the objective of quality in education should be set at national and institutional levels, adding the objective of quality education was based on three principles, including social excellence, national excellence and academic excellence.
Dispelling the impression, he said only by achieving the academic excellence the objective of quality education could not be determined, adding that it also needed social excellence and national excellence to establish a system of quality education.
Criticising the present trend of education in the country, Moosa said that in all developed countries, students had been taught from basic to advance education levels in their mother language, while in all Third World countries the trend of education system was contrary to the reality.
Regarding quality of teacher, he said the teacher must possess academic competence, commitment and motivational skills and teaching skills, adding that a highly qualified teacher could not be a high quality teacher.
Kamran Moosa also elaborated various other aspects of quality education, including quality of exams and assessment, quality research, quality of communication, institutional leadership, quality of administration, and institutional culture.
AKESP CEO Sughra Choudhry Khan also highlighted the progress and achievements of Aga Khan Education Service Pakistan.
Several other topics were also discussed at the seminar, including the route of institutional development for quality achievement, quality assurance and support services for schools, etc.