‘Govt committed to quality education’

LAHORE

The Punjab government is fully committed to bringing quality in education and in this regard concrete measures are being taken. 

It was expressed by Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha while addressing the participants in two-day international workshop on “Outcome Based Education (OBE) Implementation” arranged by Quality Enhancement Cell of University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in collaboration with Pakistan Engineering Council at the university. 

Malaysian Professor Ir Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor, Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council Engineer Javed Saleem Qureshi and UET VC Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid along with director Quality Enhancement Cell Prof Dr Ghulam Abbas Anjum, representatives from different universities, deans, faculty and students were present. 

In inaugural session of the workshop Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha as chief guest said the educational reforms and related changes can bring the country on way to progress and this would be helpful to get significant place among the big economies of the world.

She added education sector has vast potential area to induce effective and comprehensive changes because it enables the socioeconomic indicators to stabilise the status of country. In this connection, adequate and up to mark strategies along with its transparent implementation are required. The minister stated the youth is the big asset which must be engaged with productive and positive activities. She stressed applied research to face the challenges of upcoming era.

In the workshop, Malaysian Prof Dr Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor said through appropriate planning and utilisation of all available resources in precise manner, the engineering education can be leveled up to international standards. In this matter, all stakeholders must be taken on board to tailor the collective approach for attaining the tasks and goals of Outcome Based Education system through its implementation. He said for producing leaders, university must adopt change in curriculum and pedagogical skills to achieve the attributes of OBE system effectively which will push the country on way to development.

On the occasion, Prof Megat Johari informed that Malaysia implemented OBE system in six years which attracted the attention of rest of the world to educational system of Malaysia.

He emphasised to follow the different accord like Washington Accord to bring changes into education for better assessment and evaluation.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fazal said the research based planning always produces long term results and this is real instrument to measure the success of a nation as per present trends. He informed the audience that the UET is making efforts to ensure OBE system to produce the engineers according to the requirements of national and international markets.

He briefed the participants about OBE and philosophy and advised the faculty to perform its role for the building of nation.

Prof Ir Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor gave answers to questions raised by audience after his detailed presentations. Meanwhile, VC Prof Dr Fazal presented souvenirs to the minister, Prof Ir Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor and Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council Engineer Javed Saleem Qureshi. Certificates were distributed among the participants. 

Teachers: A delegation of Punjab Professors & Lecturers Association (PPLA) met the secretary of Higher Education Department (HED) and presented him document about the issues faced by the teachers in the province. 

The PPLA delegation led by president Hafiz Abdul Khaliq Nadeem informed the secretary about the teachers’ issues such as time scale, one-step upgrade, pay protection service rules for direct selection, conveyance allowance and college timings.

The secretary assured the teachers that he would discuss the issue with the officials concerned of the department and they would hold another meeting to address these issues on priority.