A seminar on “Education Reforms in Pakistan” was organized by Department of Education at (Female Campus), IIU.
Prof. Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal former Professor, Director IER and Dean, Faculty of Education, University of the Punjab was the guest speaker. He is currently working as a Professor at University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia.Prof. Iqbal is member of different national and international educational organizations.
The speaker deliberated on developmental role of Education, Millennium Development Goals and its targets, current literacy scenario, its causes and solutions. Furthermore, he also presented National Education Assessment System results (2006-2008) in different subjects while discussing role of home language in the context of differential achievement. He was of the view that without an optimum rate of education and literacy the real potential of individuals and the societies cannot be realized and the society cannot be put on the path of sustainable economic development.
“In a developing country like Pakistan, where there is low economic activity, education is the only vehicle for upward social mobility of poor and marginalized people”, he further added.
He discussed low attainment of students in public sector schools, particularly in rural areas and competitive disadvantage for poor students. The guest speaker specifically highlighted social consequences of low teacher quality such as achievement gap, lack of competence and skills among students, marginalisation of poor strata and lack of realisation of students’ genetic and cognitive potential.
In past, education has played a role as a vehicle for social mobility. Current system of education is pursuing elitist policies which is not only resulting in multiple disparities but is further marginalising the poor people. Poor quality of public education has put the poor people in competitive disadvantage, Dr. Iqbal said.
He also answered to the queries raised by the audience. In the concluding session, Prof. Dr. N. B Jumani, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Dr. Samina Malik, Director Female Campus and Dr. Shamsa Aziz, Chairperson, Department of Education (Female Campus) thanked the guest speaker for his thought provoking discussion with the academia on such a sensitive arena of education. Prof. Jumani congratulated Prof. Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal for his contribution through book writing. He said that there is dearth of books written by national authors in the field of Education due to lack of book writing culture in our country. This interactive session was held in Lincoln Corner, Central Library, IIUI and attended by faculty members, guests and MS (Education)scholars.