Educators rewarded for ‘excellence’

A teacher award ceremony was held in the federal capital to celebrate the educators of Pakistan.

The ‘Ustaad se Ustaad-e-Mohtaram ka safar’ event was organised by the National Institute of Excellence in Teacher Education (NIETE) and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training at the Federal Government College for Girls in F-7/2.

The goal of the ceremony was to recognise exceptional teachers and elevate their status to that of national heroes. The oath-taking ceremony at the event, which was led by the Federal Minister for Education, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, urged teachers to "believe in children's capabilities and make them learn without force."

The Minister emphasised the urgent need for educational reform, highlighting the country's alarmingly low literacy rate and the millions of children out of school. "Teachers are honourable and respectable, and their role is crucial in shaping the nation," he said. He expressed that his hope was to see Islamabad lead the nation in education with the support of the teachers.

Federal Secretary for Education, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, who was also present at the ceremony, echoed the Minister's words. Emphasising the federal government's responsibility to share knowledge with provincial governments, he announced a 50% honorarium on basic salary for all teachers who were selected for the award.

The event, and the selection of awardees was led by NIETE, the flagship initiative set up by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional training. NIETE’s mandate is to train and certify teachers, equipping them with tools to deploy 21st century teaching strategies, thereby improving students’ learning. NIETE is operated by Taleemabad, Pakistan’s largest education technology company.

This award ceremony organised celebrated the achievements of educators and underscored the collective responsibility of supporting the teaching community, as it is a known fact that the nation relies on its teachers to transform Pakistan's educational landscape.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2024.