Specialised curriculum needed for education system: Dr Nizam

Says there is a need to institutionalise reforms in teducation sector through researchers and academia.

LAHORE: “Our education system requires specialised curriculum, which should be market-oriented can be achieved through reforms in the education sector through research and using information technology,” said Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin.

He was speaking at the concluding session of the 9th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) Pakistan 2017 on Sunday.



Dr Nizam said that there was a need to institutionalise reforms in the education sector through researchers and academia by promoting use of ICT for higher education sector. “Endeavors should be made to conduct O and A level tests within Pakistan rather than depending on other countries,” he added.

He said that 6,000 engineers were produced every year with 30% job opportunities only in Punjab and same was the number for doctors while other allied staff such as technicians was not being produced. Discussing the prospects of higher education, the PHEC chairman, while giving comparison of access to higher education, said that in Pakistan 9-10%, Bangladesh 23% and India 30% people had access to higher education.



He said that ICT had significantly contributed to health and primary education sectors, which needed to be extended to higher education as well. Private sector was gaining profits out of education activity and their quality was questionable, he added.

The four days of the 9th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) Pakistan 2017 was attended by more than 200 researchers and academia from Pakistan and abroad.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2017.