Education: Vision-Liabilities-Strategies

Organized by: Peshawar University Teacher’s Association & Eduvision

Date: Friday, January 16, 2009

Venue: Quaid-i-Azam Commerce College, University of Peshawar, Peshawar

The proceedings of the seminar started with the recitation of Holy Qura’n. Prof. Zaigham Hassan, Stage Secretary for the Seminar presented a brief introduction of the speakers and threw some light on the topic.

“It is an honor and privilege for me and my institution to host a seminar on such an important topic and I am obliged to Eduvision and Peshawar University Teacher’s Association for this”, Prof. Syed M. Abbas, Principal Quaid-i-Azam Commerce College, said in his welcome speech. He also added that higher education is the key to success for nations and no nation can take advantage of mind blowing advancements in the field of science and technology without engaging a large number of its human capital in education and research.

Prof. Dr. Arbab Khan Afridi, President Peshawar University Teacher’s Association and Director Institute of Education & Research, University of Peshawar, presided the seminar.

Prof. Dr. Arbab Khan Afridi said that in addition to imparting knowledge, teachers must also help students manage career development and create satisfying lives for themselves in a wide variety of different contexts. “Young people are now active participants in their own career development, rather than passive recipients. In the past, teachers would find generic careers information and distribute it to classrooms full of students. But these days it requires a lot of preparation and a teacher needs to be fully updated with the current changes in local as well as global employment market. Teachers must prepare students for a range of career pathways and help them develop the skills, habits and attitudes they will retain over a lifetime of learning. It is a more challenging role for teachers now that the expectations are more complex”, he concluded.

Chief Executive Eduvision, Mr. Yousuf Almas delivered the key not address.  “The selection of a discipline of field of study is the most important decision involved in a student’s life. The wrong selection of discipline which may not suit the student’s aptitude can seriously jeopardize his/her future”, he said. Mr. Yousuf Almas emphasized that the immense responsibility lay on the teachers in helping the students to choose a better field of study and to open new doors of opportunities to them.

Illuminating on the working of Eduvision he said that the Eduvision is the only non-governmental organization in the country providing free information and guidance to the local students, overseas Pakistanis and Foreign nationals for higher learning in Pakistan. “Eduvision had organized 29 seminars in different colleges of the country on career planning benefiting more than 10,000 students and provided free information and guidance to more than 15,000 students on e-mail and telephone. Eduvision has also launched the country’s first ever free online information system for higher education in Pakistan. The information system provides the facility to search for any field of study offered in Pakistan along with the names of institutions offering that particular field, city, duration, batch, degree, session, teaching system and examination system”, he further added.

Prof. Dr. Saifullah Ajmal, Chairman Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi also addressed the participants.

Dr. Saifullah said that a teacher needs to take ownership of his abilities to change the world of his students both inside and outside of the classroom.

“I want to make a difference in the lives of our future generations. Education is a key to success. It tells that teachers realize the effect of their actions and strive to give their students the best possible educational experience. It is so imperative that teachers have passion not only for their subject areas, but to change and model the lives of their students as well”, he added.

“As a teacher we are the big impact in influencing children’s life. We are the models to guide them and give knowledge to what is good for them. Show passion for what you are doing, but push your student to pursue what they love to do. Do not expect that your education will inspire them or each of them always, but rather showing them how dedicated you are to something”, he further added.

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