Day: May 25, 2023

Karachi, May 25, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Sindh Cabinet has approved a new teaching license policy, aimed at attracting talented youth to the teaching profession and raising the status of the profession. This landmark reform aims to bring the same rigour and respect to the teaching profession as enjoyed by other skill-based professions, including medicine, accounting, law and engineering. New entrants to the field of teaching will be both required and incentivized to get professional training before seeking jobs.

Sharing his views, Provincial Minister of Sindh for Education, Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, said, “Conceptualising and bringing the teaching license policy to life has not been easy. However, I am grateful to Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Sindh Teachers Education Development Authority (STEDA), Durbeen and all other partners who have worked tirelessly to make this policy a possibility. The success of the next generation of teachers and students ultimately depends on its smooth implementation.”

He further added that: “Sindh is the only province that has approved a teaching license policy, which represents a proactive approach to recognising the value and importance of effective teaching. With the policy in place, the Sindh Government has laid the foundation for a more robust and professional teaching workforce, which will have a positive and lasting impact on the educational landscape in the province.” The Sindh Government has already taken the first step toward rolling out the new policy. 700 new vacancies have been created for Elementary School Teachers (eligible to teach grades 1-8) across Sindh at BPS-16. Previously, Junior Elementary School Teachers (JEST) were being inducted at BPS-14 and were required to have completed graduation in any field. These new 700 vacancies will only be offered to graduates of the B.Ed. degree programme who have also cleared the licensing exam.

A growing body of research clearly establishes the value of effective teachers. Econometric research from the past decade shows that effective teachers can deliver three times the learning in a single academic year than ineffective teachers can. As is well known, a good teacher can transform a mediocre curriculum into a very rich learning experience. This makes a strong case for education reform to focus on raising teacher quality and support. Teacher licensing is one of the ways to do so.

The teaching license sets a minimum standard for new entrants, which will raise the status of the teaching profession in public perception. This has been seen in several other professions, both in Pakistan and globally. In the short-term, improved public perception provides the justification for raising teachers’ salaries. Long term, it helps attract talented youth to the profession.

Dr Farid Panjwani, Dean AKU-IED, shared, “A teaching license may appear to be for teachers, but it is, in fact, for children. It is to ensure that children’s education is trusted to people who are capable, caring, and with whom they will be safe.” The policy preparation was preceded by a year-long research and consultation led by AKU-IED which culminated in a White Paper which was jointly launched by AKU-IED, STEDA and Durbeen in June 2022. Consultations were held among a wide range of stakeholders – Pakistani universities, school management, teachers, teachers’ unions, parents and students. Scholars from several other institutions, including Ziauddin University, contributed to the policy writing efforts.

Under the new policy, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) graduates can now apply to take a licensing exam. This licensing exam will assess both content knowledge as well as pedagogical knowledge. Upon passing the exam, they will be awarded teaching licenses in one of the three categories – elementary (Grades 1-8), primary (Grades 1-5) and secondary (Grades 6-12). Existing, full-time, government schoolteachers can choose to continue employment as per status quo, or if they meet the requirements under the policy, may opt to apply for the licensing exam and expedite their promotions. Contractual teachers in government schools, who meet the requirements, can expedite regularisation through the licensing process.

This reform takes a unique position in the history of education in Pakistan. Most reforms have been driven and funded by the prescriptions of donor agencies. They have seen mixed results and have generally died out once donor support ends. In comparison, this teacher licensing policy has been initiated by the Sindh Government and has been developed in consultation with Pakistani academia, teachers, unions and other stakeholders.

For more information, contact:

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Website: www.aku.edu

Karachi, May 25, 2023 (PPI-OT): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday informed the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that decision to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) summit held in the Indian city of Goa proved productive and positive for Pakistan. “As far as the Kashmir issue, bilateral issues between Pakistan and India and the responsibilities of multilateralism are concerned, my conclusion after the trip is that it is productive and positive decision to participate in the event” he said.

“We thought, we should project Pakistan’s case and point of view in front of not only Indian but the other participant countries,” he informed the committee. Bilawal said it was also decided not to provide an open opportunity to India. He said that it was a difficult decision to participate in the event and a lot of work was done by the Foreign Ministry to evolve consensus in that regard. The minister said that former Foreign Secretaries, leaders of allied parties and other stakeholders had been taken on board for their feedback regarding participation in the event in India.

“SCO is a multilateral forum and it provided opportunities to hold meetings with the world leadership and project Pakistan’s point of view on various points,” he added. Bilawal said the second point that had been considered for attending the event was that all-weather friend of Pakistan China and Russia were the founder of this organization. He said that SCO had provided an opportunity to highlight Pakistan’s narrative as it was the Indian objective to abuse this important forum.

He said Pakistan had effectively responded to the Indian narrative of linking terrorism with Pakistan, Muslims and Kashmiris. “The event provided an opportunity to make them understand that I am the son of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who became a victim of terrorism. People of Pakistan are most affected by terrorism,” he added. He said that Pakistan wanted to fight terrorism in the best interest of the country. The minister said that positive and productive meetings with all the foreign ministers of the members’ countries were held on the side-line of the event.

He said it was decided before leaving for India not to hold bilateral meetings with Indian leadership due to the August 2019 unilateral decision of India. “It is our principled stance that we will not seek a meeting with our Indian counterpart,” he added. He was of the view that the SCO meeting also provided an opportunity to interact with Indian people, senior anchors and media persons and counter the Indian narrative of linking terrorism with Pakistan and Muslims.

He said that Pakistan would host the SCO conference in 2026-2027 and there was hope the Indian counterpart would attend the meeting. Responding to a question, the minister said, that soon after arriving from India at Karachi Airport, he effectively responded to the allegations of Indians in the SCO conference. He said that diplomatic channels had also been used to respond to the Indian allegations. Responding to a question regarding Afghanistan, he said a stable, prosperous and secure Afghanistan was in the interest of people of Afghanistan, Pakistan and other neighbouring countries.

He said that it was the request of the interim government of Afghanistan to address the core issue of TTP operating from its soil against Pakistan. He said that after the taking over of the interim Afghanistan government, terrorist attacks in Pakistan had increased. He said that issue of Afghanistan had also been discussed with the participants of the SCO conference during side-line meetings. About relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran, he appreciated the role of China in bringing closer Saudi Arabia and Iran. “China has proved itself as super power and peacemaker” he added. He said that improved relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia would also bring a positive effect on Pakistan.

He said that the Indian decision to hold the Group of 20 Youth and Tourism convention in Indian-Occupied Kashmir was condemnable. He said the holding of the meeting indicated that India did not care about the United Nations resolution. “You cannot dream of being a superpower by violating international laws and resolutions of the United Nations,” he added. He said that during his stay in India, he told the Indians that they would not achieve 100 per cent participation because the meeting was being held in the disputed area.

“I could not find a single international media report on the conference in Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir confined to tourism and youth affairs. Every report discusses disputed areas and action of 2019 and Human Rights abuses,” he added. The minister said that India failed to give impression of normalcy in Kashmir.

For more information, contact:

PPP Media Cell (Sindh)

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)

Peoples Secretariat Shikarpur Colony,

Behind Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Karachi, Pakistan

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Email: contact@ppp-tu.com

Website: https://www.ppp.org.pk

Karachi, May 25, 2023 (PPI-OT): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu during his visit to Air Headquarters here on Thursday and lauded the matchless professionalism of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) personnel. The foreign minister while paying tribute to the PAF martyrs said, “The nation is grateful to all martyrs of Pakistan Air Force who sacrificed their lives while fighting valiantly in order to foil the nefarious ambitions of our enemy.”

During the meeting, matters pertaining to evolving geo-strategic environment and regional security situation were discussed, a PAF news release said. Air Chief briefed the visiting dignitary about various ongoing projects being carried out by the Pakistan Air Force with a special focus on the modernization and development of indigenous capabilities.

The Chief of the Air Staff also briefed the FM about his vision of PAF’s National Aerospace Science and Technology Park project and highlighted that the mega project was aimed at fostering collaborative research, development and innovation in the domains of aviation, space, IT, cyber and computing to accrue maximum social, economic, technological and scientific dividends for Pakistan.

The foreign minister stated that the government would utilize all its resources to modernize Pakistan Air Force for ensuring an impregnable aerial defence of the country. He also admired the PAF leadership for the revamping of training to produce a well-equipped and skilful workforce and cope with the evolving dynamics of the aviation industry, and the challenges faced by national security.

For more information, contact:

PPP Media Cell (Sindh)

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)

Peoples Secretariat Shikarpur Colony,

Behind Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Karachi, Pakistan

Cell: +92-305-3370383

Email: contact@ppp-tu.com

Website: https://www.ppp.org.pk

Karachi, May 25, 2023 (PPI-OT): Chairman Pakistan People’s Party, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while talking to journalists outside his chamber in the Parliament House said in response to a question that as far as the question regarding restrictions on parties is concerned, in principle no political party should be banned. I oppose it, but the political party must also have the desire to remain a political party. He said that if the PTI has the potential to become a political party, I think that the action of May should have never happened. Till today, the focus is on the Corps Commander and GHQ regarding these attacks. When the details will come before our nation that how coordinated attacks on our military installations were carried out, I think no Pakistani can do that, every Pakistani should abide by the law. Political parties do politics in the parliament. Political parties do not use stones, sticks and guns against the state.

Chairman PPP said in response to a question that I think whenever people hear about the military court, there is an automatic reaction. There is a misunderstanding in the world, in the country and in the media, that maybe they want to do against the terrorists of May 9, the way military courts were established in Pakistan by amending the constitution in the past. We do not want to establish a new military court, neither we are bringing any new amendment in the constitution, nor we are seeking to bring any amendment in the law of Pakistan. If someone has violated the law, action should be taken against him constitutional amendment. You will remember that after the APS tragedy an amendment was done for a time period. That term has expired. Pakistan People’s Party can never support any undemocratic and unconstitutional behaviour rather we will oppose it. As far as the existing law and constitution is concerned, it is violated whether it is the Army Act, whether it is the Official Secret Act and Whether it is a terrorist act. Every man can lodge an FIR and no one can stop anyone.

In response to a question, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Imran Khan has been the prime minister and is a politician of 70 years, he should take care of this matter. In response to a question, he said that when Mian Sahib realized that there should be democracy in Pakistan and the country should run democratically, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto engaged him with her. You may remember that I was the most pro-dialogue before the May 9 incident and my decision was to form a committee of Pakistan People’s Party to unite all our allies and contact them and convince them. I went by helicopter and tried to convince everyone by myself that we should have a dialogue with them and that dialogue was on the issue of holding elections on the same day all over Pakistan.

That dialogue was successful. He declared before you that elections should be held on the same day in the entire country. In the dialogue, our representatives had to convince us and Khan Sahib’s representatives had to convince him. Khan Sahib has never taken any political decision or democratic decision in his life, he sabotaged his own decision and sabotaged our decisions too. The PTI came here in 2014, attacked this parliament, attacked PTV, but we did nothing with it. When he came to power, we brought no-confidence to remove him, which was a democratic method, but his behaviour was undemocratic. Justice Bandial also said that it was an undemocratic and unconstitutional action, but I stood up in the assembly and said that action should be taken against those who violate the constitution. I am sorry to say that they did not take any action.

In response to a question, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that this question was raised in the cabinet regarding Al-Qadir Trust, but I opposed it and said that we have to work, we have to fix the economy, we have to fix the foreign policy. About foreign funding, we had a proof brought by Akbar S. Babar, the federal government had the power to ban it, but we said not to introduce these traditions, it would be a bad example, we are democratic people. I understand now that I have no place, no way, that I can in any way ignore the action of the 9th of May and the law that he brought when he was Prime Minister, the amendment to the Army Act. If he didn’t like something, he could have brought an amendment but he didn’t. PTI will have to face the existing law. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in response to a question, said that as far as the question of Afghanistan is concerned, we are engaging them to address them in terms of security and our priority will be to work with them.

Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had said that the entire Pakistan is on the same page regarding Kashmir. As far as the OIC is concerned, Kashmir got this opportunity in the contact group during the tenure of Shaheed Bibi and since then they are in the contact group. Chairman Bilawal said “when I became the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I also got the opportunity to chair the meeting of the CFM of the OIC when I was also the Foreign Minister-Chairman of the OIC and in this meeting, I assured that Kashmir was not only seated as an observer but also got the opportunity to give a speech which the present president of Azad Kashmir delivered”.

For more information, contact:

PPP Media Cell (Sindh)

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)

Peoples Secretariat Shikarpur Colony,

Behind Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Karachi, Pakistan

Cell: +92-305-3370383

Email: contact@ppp-tu.com

Website: https://www.ppp.org.pk