Virtual School of Tomorrow moot concludes

LAHORE:The three-day fully virtual School of Tomorrow Conference: A World of Tomorrow: Negotiating a Better Future by Beaconhouse concluded with all 22 sessions resonating with global audiences over the weekend.

According to a press release, a key highlight of the day one of the conference was the recognition of the Pakistan government’s comprehensive response to COVID-19 by World Health Organization Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

On the day two, Mr Andreas Schleicher, head of the OECD Directorate of Education & Skills, joined for a discussion with Kasim Kasuri, CEO of Beaconhouse, on PISA assessment and the future of education and learning.

The third day of the conference continued with an insightful discussion on the hope that emerging learning could offer to the world’s 258 million out-of-school children.

This panel discussion featured Stephanie Dobrowolski, co-founder, Rising Academy Network, Africa, Mosharraf Zaidi, leading public policy analyst, Professor Tahir Andrabi, economist and educational leader and Henry Warren, a specialist in disruptive digital businesses as the moderator.

A highlight of the day was the conversation on reimagining the future of learning, moderated by Nassir Kasuri, executive director, Beaconhouse, with the featured speakers Dr Roger Schank, AI researcher and CEO, Socratic Arts, Suzie Boss, iconic US learning advocate and PBLWorks Faculty, Dr Siva Kumari, director general, International Baccalaureate, and Professor Dr Ger Graus OBE, global director of education, KidZania.

Sessions ran concurrently on the topics such as supporting vulnerable and SEN learners during school closures with Professor Maggie Atkinson, former Children's Commissioner for England, award-winning novelist Mohsin Hamid, inclusion expert LaCheyna Sparrow-Adebiyi, and ‘Cities for Children’ founder Madeeha Ansari amongst others, along with a seminar on the International Baccalaureate’s ATL philosophy with Lance King. Transformative values and competencies were explored with Dr Tristian Stobie, director curriculum, CAIE, Cynthia Guyer, executive director, Global Dignity, Dr Umar Saif, technology adviser, and Vikas Pota, education leader and creator of Global Teacher Prize.

Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, cognitive scientist, Munizae Jahangir, journalist, and Lara Rathod, creator/host, Red Sofa Conversations, discussed the ‘Info-demic’ in an attempt to sift fact from fiction, along with Oscar-winning film producer and member House of Lords, UK, Lord David Puttnam CBE. The non-profit School of Tomorrow Event Series was launched in 2000 and is organised by Beaconhouse as part of its ongoing commitment to its social responsibility.