While presenting welcome note at 3rd National Education Summit organized by Pakistan Academic Consortium (PAC) in collaboration with Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, Founder PAC Nasir R. Zaidi stated that Pakistan needs to emerge from the predicament of poverty, ignorance and deprivation. He opined there is only one way available: divert resources towards provision of quality education, promote science, technology and innovation at public and private sector educational institutions. He stressed upon the authorities to declare national education emergency involving measures to divert strategic directions of country towards knowledge-based economy aided by intelligentsia.
He shared that the notion behind coming up with educational summit of national stature every year is to provide an avenue to Researchers, Private / Public Sector Stake Holders, Practitioners, Senior Government Representatives and Civil Society / Community Leaders to engage in a dialogue and share their perspective for advancement of teaching pedagogies to align with emerging global norms where use of technology has become inevitable. The speakers of summit included Senator (r) Javed Jabbar, Dr. Aftab Imam (Governor Rotary International), Dr. Huma Baqai (Associate Professor, Social Sciences & Liberal Arts – IBA), Riaz Kamlani (Executive Vice President, The Citizens Foundation), Fajer Rabia Pasha (Executive Director – Pakistan Alliance For Girls Education) emphasized that children getting education in Pakistan need to meet the requisites of Future World whereby classroom practitioners and academicians in leadership positions ought to devise new dimensions for imparting education amid digital disruption. The summit themed as Beyond The Digital Disruption: Re-thinking Pedagogies l Re-wiring Curriculum l Re-envisioning Leadership, was largely attended by heads and decision makers of leading schools, colleges and universities from all over Pakistan.
The panel discussion moderated by Ms. Lubna Panjwani (Senior Advisor PAC) became centre of attention for delegates as it discussed ‘Purview of Language, Culture & Curriculum’ in prevailing scenario. The panel speakers were Dr. M. Shakeel Ahmed Khan (Vice Chancellor – Salim Habib University), Dr. Shehzad Jeeva (Director – Aga Khan University Examination Board & Associate Professor of Practice – Faculty of Arts & Sciences – AKUEB), Mr. Mohsin Tejani (Founder – School of Writing & President SPELT), M. Shariq Vohra (Former President – Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry) & Riza ur Rehman (President – Serving Schools & Colleges Association of Pakistan.
Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Minister for State & Chairman Board of Investment (Govt. of Pakistan) graced the event as Chief Guest and appreciated role of consortium for betterment of education sector in country.
