Federal Minister for Education Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani has said the government is working on a number of policy actions to improve teacher quality and raise their social and economic status. He stated this during an exclusive talk with APP in connection with World Teachers Day falling on October 5.
The minister said, "Standard of education can only be raised if teachers are given their due role in society."
"The new education policy envisages concrete steps to raise morale of teachers," he said, adding the measures included upgrading of teachers' salaries, creation of a separate teaching cadre, teachers' professional development and a reward system based on performance.
The government was aware that reforms were required in all areas, including pre-service training and standardisation of qualifications of teachers, teacher remuneration and governance and management of the teaching workforce.
The minister repeatedly stressed the need for elevating the status of teachers. Recently the government took an important step by making permanent the ad hoc teachers in schools and colleges of federal territory, he informed.
"The new policy contains measures which if fully implemented will go a long way in strengthening role of teachers as an important pillar of the educational system." Bijarani wants teachers to fulfil their professional responsibilities and build up their image as reformers of society.
While going through the policy one notices that it focuses on teacher training arrangements, accreditation and certification procedures which will be standardised and institutionalised.
The policy states that teacher education curriculum will be adjusted to the needs of the school curriculum and scheme of studies. The curriculum will include training for student-centred teaching and cross-curricular competencies. A separate cadre of specialised teacher trainers will be developed.
The governments will take steps to ensure that teacher recruitment, professional development, promotions and postings are based on merit alone. All teachers will have oppportunities for professional development through a programme organised on a three-year cyclic basis. Progress in career will be linked to such professional development.
In service teachers training in mathematics will be given due attention to developing conceptual understanding, procedural knowledge, problem solving and practical reasoning skills.
In-service teacher training in science will be based on real life situations, use of science kits and provision of science kits to all primary and middle schools. Teacher allocation plans, likewise, will be based on schools' needs and qualification of teachers. Over the course of next two years, the governments will develop a rationalised and need-based school allocation of teachers, which should be reviewed and modified annually. Incentives will be given to teachers in rural or other hard areas at least to compensate for loss in salary through reduction of various allowances given for urban but not for rural postings.
Special short term courses for improvement of language skills for rural areas' teachers will be designed.
The voice of teachers associations will be given due consideration in decisions on collective issues affecting teachers. According to the policy, the governments will aim to draw upon resources from the private sector through public-private partnerships, especially in the areas of teacher education and professional development programmes.