Moot on quality assurance in higher education starts

LAHORE: The second international conference on quality assurance in higher education started Wednesday at University of Education, Township Campus, with the joint collaboration of University of Education, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Khyber Medical University and Pakistan Network of Quality Assurance in Higher Education.

More than 60 research papers will be presented during the conference being attended by noted scholars and educationists from across the globe, including Prof Kethamonie Naidoo from South Africa, Dr Bahar Gun from Turkey, Dr SelvaStaub from Turkey, Donald Staub from Turkey, D. Bassam Al Hamad from Bahrain and Dr Khalid Azim Khan from Saudi Arabia.

Prof Dr Arshad Javed, president of Pakistan Network of Quality Assurance in Higher Education (PNQAHE) and vice-chancellor of Khyber Medical University, was the chief guest of the opening ceremony.

University of Education (UE) VC Prof Dr Rauf-i-Azam said lack of technology, poor infrastructure and lack of adequate education budget were the main causes behind the poor quality of education system in the country.

He said although the present government was introducing major reforms in education system to bring about the much-needed quality in education system, however, all the stakeholders should join hands with the government in this regard. “We need to focus our attention seriously to resolve the issues which our education system has been facing for the last seven decades,” he said.

Dr. Rauf-i-Azam said, unfortunately, Pakistan was one of the few countries which had no pre-defined minimum national quality standards in education at the time of independence. The absence of clearly articulated and agreed upon minimum national standards for quality education leaves the education system without a basic framework for setting targets. Quality education is the most important area which needs to be strengthened to achieve sustainable national development and national cohesion. He said, “If we failed to ensure quality in every stage of our educational system, we may face even the challenge of our existence in the galaxy of nations.” Prof Dr Arshad Javed said that incredible work was being done to ensure quality in higher education by PNQAHE.”