The year 2021 proved to be an important year in terms of education.
The implementation of a uniform curriculum remains the biggest achievement of the present government.
The establishment of the tele-schools during the Covid-19 period and other major decisions remained the hallmark in the education sector. The government’s decision to close educational institutions during the peak of the Covid-19 met with mixed reactions from stakeholders.
The government handled the Covid-19 challenge ably in the year 2021 and garnered well-deserved praise. In the field of education, there are a number of major and minor successes to the credit of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. For the first time in history, the government introduced the uniform curriculum from grade 1st to grade 5th though it was replete with errors and omissions. Education authorities continue to make amendments to the new curriculum to make it more viable and acceptable to all stakeholders. Except for a few months, educational institutions throughout the country remained shut for most of the year in 2021 during the peak of the coronavirus.
During this period, students were offered online classes by their respective institutions including by the tele-schools.
Despite the Covid-19 phase, the federal government's decision to close down educational institutions and resort to online classes saved the precious time of children.
The government, under a successful strategy, conducted examinations last year.
Vaccination of students is under way in schools and colleges. People associated with the education sector say that the government's education policy remained relatively better in the year 2021.
Zia Batool, the chairperson of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), said that the decision by private schools to reduce school fee by 20 per cent during the coronavirus time was implemented and over 250 training workshops for teachers to enable them to conduct online classes.
Though the government increased the higher education budget, the appointment of the HEC chairman and the executive director remained a challenge for the government.
After the removal of the former chairman of HEC Dr Tariq Banuri through an ordinance, no replacement could be made. The post of HEC executive director is being run on an ad hoc basis. The government failed to appoint a permanent executive director despite repeated advertisements.
By the end of the year 2021, employees of federal government educational institutions took to the streets against placing schools and colleges under the Islamabad mayor through an ordinance. The issue remains to be solved by the government and the teachers have announced to boycott classes after the winter vacations.
The teaching and non-teaching staff of the Federal Directorate of Education are protesting and demanding the withdrawal of article 166 of the Islamabad Local Government Ordinance, 2021, under which federal educational institutions have been put under the Islamabad mayor.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2022.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ