30 thousand primary school teachers will get specialized training

Lahore: The Punjab Government has planned instant provision of specialized training in Reading Instruction to 30 thousand primary school teachers working in seven thousand public sector schools, besides imparting this specialized training to all elementary teachers working in 32 public sector elementary teachers training institutes and faculty members of 9 public sector universities under “Pakistan Reading Project” sponsored by USAID to promote “Smart Schools E-Learning System” in the province in the first phase.

In later phases, 55000 public sector schools, both for boys and girls, will be transformed into centers of excellence through many innovative means including the provision of reading instruction through computer Tabs of I-Pad size to all the students of 8^th to 10^th class.

These computers Tabs will be uploaded with the course comprising of the syllabus of the relevant classes and the knowhow about the life in surroundings.

This was disclosed by the Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan while presiding over a meeting to review the pace of implementation on E-learning system in the province. Secretary Higher Education Department Punjab Tariq Mahmood Khan, Secretary Schools Education Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, Chairman Punjab Text Book Board Nawazish Ali, Directors Punjab Information Technology Board Kashif Mahmood and Waqar Hussain attended the meeting. Renowned educationist from private sector Dr. Muhammad Ramzan and representative of USAID Kamran Iftikhar were also present on the occasion.

Provincial Minister for Education informed the meeting that the Punjab government will start a 3-year associate degree in Reading Instruction which will include specialized training in prompt reading skills. All those under training teachers qualified for this associate degree will be given Rs.20 thousand each for every semester during the 8-semester Reading Instruction degree. USAID will arrange this scholarship/stipend.

The Minister said, the provincial government will start supplying computers tablets to the “Smart Schools” this year and more than 1.2 million students will be provided with this latest tool of learning every year. The students will download their educational course in the class room through internet and in this way, the kids would get rid of heavy bags filled with so many curricular books to carry from their homes to schools. Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan further informed that the Computer Server of every smart school will be linked with the central digital library of the government of Pakistan.

This step will enable all the students coming from various socio-economic segments of the society equal reach to the latest available knowledge in the world. The Minister termed it a significant step towards introduction of unified educational system which would ensure all the hardworking students to excel in their studies and they would have all opportunities to progress in life as the elite classes of the society already possesses, he added.

Dr. Muhammad Ramzan gave a presentation in the meeting regarding E-learning version of 200 text books which are ready for uploading in the digital library of the Punjab government installed at Arfa Karim Technology Park at Lahore. I have digitalized 3000 reference books for school going children and 50000 reference books for the collegiate and university fellows which would be available to the masses free of cost to achieve the goal of promoting e-learning culture in Pakistan, concluded Dr. Muhammad Ramzan, President Pakistan Librarians Association.

The meeting highly applauded the stance of Dr. Muhammad Ramzan and decided to adopt his package after final approval from the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in the earliest.