Teaching Licence Policy in Sindh to set new standards: minister

Sindh Education and Culture Minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, on Saturday stated that the Sindh government is taking revolutionary steps for reforms in the field of education.

After the approval of the Teaching License Policy, teachers will now also have to pass an exam and obtain a license, similar to doctors and engineers.

This will benefit the entire education system, not just teachers and students. He mentioned this during a press conference held today in Committee Room-1 of the Sindh Assembly.

Secretary School Education Sindh, Ghulam Akbar Laghari, renowned social figure Shahzad Rai from Zindagi Trust, Dean Farid Panjwani from Agha Khan University’s Institute of Education Development, and others were also present.

The Provincial Education Minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, said that hiring over 60,000 teachers on merit in Sindh was a significant challenge, which was successfully accomplished due to the serious efforts of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s provincial government.

He stated that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has provided complete confidence by giving a free hand to maintain merit. He mentioned that the training and continuous learning process for the recruited teachers will greatly benefit from the Licensing Policy. Provincial Minister Sardar Shah said that the Sindh Teachers Education Development Authority (STEDA), Agha Khan, and collaboration with Durbeen are working together to continue the efforts related to teacher education, teacher training, and licensing.

He emphasized that Sindh has always played a prominent role in exemplary legislation, and Sindh is the first province in Pakistan to develop the Teaching Policy for the betterment of education. He urged other provinces to also work on the Licensing Policy. Sardar Shah stated that it is essential for a child to have a competent teacher who can educate children in any challenging environment.

He mentioned that due to the shortage of teachers after the recruitments, more than 5,000 closed schools have been reopened, and over 400,000 new children have enrolled in government schools. He pointed out that currently, the number of out-of-school children in Sindh is much lower than in other provinces.

The Provincial Education Minister stated that the Sindh Teaching Board is not only being run by the government but also by social and private representatives. The board is empowered to make its own decisions to enhance the quality of teachers and maintain merit. He further stated that the Licensing Policy will be made applicable in both government and private sectors.

On this occasion, Shahzad Rai, the head of Zindagi Trust, and social figure, stated that teaching is a science when it comes to understanding a child’s mind, and teaching education will make it easier to comprehend.

He emphasized that other provinces should also implement the Teaching License as long as government schools are not in proper condition, the public cannot receive quality education. Dean Farid Panjwani from Agha Khan University’s Institute of Education Development mentioned that just like doctors receive a license after obtaining their degree to practice medicine and get regulated, teachers will also benefit from the Licensing Policy to regulate a standard teacher after obtaining the license.