PM calls for steps to restore educational activities
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ISLAMABAD: In a move aimed at saving the education system from further disruption amid the coronavirus crisis, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the authorities concerned on Thursday to thrash out a strategy to restore academic activities in the country in consultation with provincial governments.
“Formulate a joint strategy in collaboration with the provincial education ministers regarding the future teaching process,” the prime minister said during a meeting to assess the disruption caused to the education system by the pandemic.
The meeting also reviewed the progress made so far for implementation of the government’s plan to introduce a uniform curriculum in the country.
All educational institutions were closed over three months ago after detection of the first Covid-19 case in the country. Although federal and provincial authorities have introduced online classes, the feedback shows people still have reservations about its success and utility.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Imran Khan was informed that around eight million students were benefiting from the tele-school initiative taken recently.
An e-Taleem portal will also be launched and the services of Radio Pakistan were being acquired to teach the students living in remote areas.
During the meeting the prime minister called for accelerating efforts to enforce a uniform curriculum in the country as it was the government’s priority to do away with “educational apartheid”.
It directed the authorities to work out a plan to address the financial difficulties being faced by educational institutions and the reservations of parents regarding the payment of fees amid the closure.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said problems confronting the managements of educational institutions should be addressed as well.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Shafqat Mahmood, the Minister for Professional Education and Training, Information Minister Shibli Faraz, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Asim Saleem Bajwa, Punjab Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun and Higher Education Commission Chairman Tariq Binouri.
Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2020
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Comments (34) Closed
Jun 19, 2020 08:11am
Now you want the kids to get infected? Your smartness towards smart lockdown failed in total.
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Jun 19, 2020 08:19am
What educational activities exactly?
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Jun 19, 2020 08:20am
Best leader of the world today. Best Pakistan had after the Quaid.
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Jun 19, 2020 08:59am
Online education is a pain for the parents especially for ones who are joining offices. Also, it has very less learning value!
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Jun 19, 2020 09:02am
Good in giving orders.
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Jun 19, 2020 09:12am
Your days are hanging just by 8 seats.
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Jun 19, 2020 09:51am
The Tele education has been an excellent initiative, probably the only successful program of this government and very much both a success and very timely. But the biggest issue in education is this: whereas children may not die from te virus, they can transmit which puts their parents in danger. If children bring home the virus, we may see many home givers -- parents -- succumb to the illness creating a large number of orphans. For this reason schools have been closed. Education is all very well, but what can replace the caring of a home for the child? Thus we need a vision where care occurs at every stage so the worst doesnt happen.
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Jun 19, 2020 10:00am
Please have mercy on the poor students who are one of the most vulnerable community to the evils of the current virus situation and require protection against the same.
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Jun 19, 2020 10:18am
Imran Khan was a successful Cricket Captain and now he is most successful PM of Pakistan.
He is taking a carefully calculated steps to navigate through Covid scare.
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Jun 19, 2020 11:00am
Just before leaving office? Nothing was done in last 2 years. Who will believe now with no money on hand?
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Jun 19, 2020 11:49am
Quality of online learning is very disagreeable .We cant develop and enhance our analytical thinking.This is totallly mess because coordination level and face to face interaction is very poor.You should universities with proper SOPs.
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Jun 19, 2020 11:57am
online classes will work for people who can afford a laptop and have access to internet. many students in villages will be ignored. for them there needs to be a step up to provide online classes as well.
as for schools if they decide to open, it will be a disaster for the whole country, and next generation.
a new out of box thinker is required.
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Jun 19, 2020 12:01pm
At least colleges/ universities can be opened as their students are mature and sensible enough to follow the laid down SOPs. Same, I reckon, is true for high school students. Their monitoring is also easy. You can't also overlook the fact that covid infection rate is least in younger people.
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Jun 19, 2020 12:06pm
The PM is a keen environmentalist and should use current lock down to reduce carbon footprint in Karachi, Lahore and other large cities. The PM may well be advise to introduce legislation so that schools opened their doors every other day including Saturdays, the rest of children time be occupied by sufficient homework so pupils work from home. It will reduce traffic congestion at school time, allow duty free import of school buses, encourage car pooling at schools due to non existent school buses or unfit public transport.
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Jun 19, 2020 02:24pm
Yes open schools and universities, and then complain that students and 5 year old kids are not following SOPs because they are all Jahil, then make them corona hotspots, then seal them again with no date for reopening. Please plan ahead and make a strategy for 6 months so that students, parents, teachers know what to do and can plan their academic year accordingly.
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Jun 19, 2020 06:24pm
Government has the duty to bring back children into education. But in mind that, parents would never let any government or private education istitute to put their children's lives into danger of any kind for their own eganda.
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Jun 19, 2020 07:06pm
If you want exactly answer then come to Pakistan.
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Jun 19, 2020 08:32pm
I read this article related to education and recently this meeting is chaired by PM Imran Khan.I request prime minister please personally check the quality of education. Authorities are not aware about online classes system problems being faced by students and teachers both. Laptops, smartphone, high speed internet,light in 24 hours, and most important is how to understand materials send by teachers in online classes. Because this is totally copy paste for YouTube videos or Google. Students can't understand YouTube videos or Google language or specially English without subtitled. In one family five children learn in online classes at the same timing but the in different institutions so tell me how can they Cary their education at the same time and parents can't afford other smartphone for every child.three to four smartphone affordability is very difficult for parents during this current situation. Many students physical disabled just like eye side weaked or back bone problems so this is also a problem. If I fereez my current semester then one year is vast because I am in a final year 8th semester,so tell me what I can do to save my education without vasting my one year.its very easy for authorities those who say "this online classes is only for those who are willing to Cary their study and other are not willing to Cary their study then they fareez their semester, really? Me faced light problems and availability of technologies as like smartphone or others. But my teachers says if you don't put your attendance on time at 8:30 then I mark absence and I fail you in papers or assignments.please tell me what can I do for this situation.And this problems is mine and my universities not for authorities who says online classes is a problem for university and their members. Please please don't play with us.
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Jun 19, 2020 09:06pm
@Murali,
This is common sense.
Everyone, or rather 90% of our population, will get infected.
It's a fact.
There's no way around it.
Everyone knows that but a few are strong enough to accept it.
Unfortunately, you do not seem one of those people.
Lockdown is nothing but delaying the inevitable.
The aim of every leader is to make sure to slow the spread of the virus so that the health systems can sustain it.
Every leader understands that there is no stopping it, only reducing the impact.
So please instead of criticizing the government,
Look to support them in this time of hardship.
I mean no offense.
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Jun 19, 2020 09:40pm
It would be smarter to recognise that primary schools, high schools, and universities are different. Instead of meeting politicians and civil servants, the decision-makers should ask Principals for their practical, on-the-ground advice.
Public education, ie informing parents of the (minimal) risk to children is essential. The risk of infection or even severe reaction to infection to Covid-19 in children/teenagers is much less than the risk of death/injury by children riding motorbikes.
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Jun 19, 2020 09:54pm
@Seshagiri rao, yes he is role model to world for the control of carona virus.
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Jun 19, 2020 11:42pm
Why government is only showing interest towards govt teachers n giving them salaries.we are getting half salaries .private schools teachers are more hardworking than govt... Imran khan sb u must take action...u must support private teachers too
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Jun 19, 2020 11:55pm
U r a great leader plz solve students problem v r not promoted and taking other semester classes which will b ended in Sept but if corona will not end in Sept then v will start 3rd sem classes and then v will give 3 exams which means 3 tentions students will not die with covid u will see they will die with depression means suicide plz solve our problems
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Jun 19, 2020 11:59pm
Following a pandemic there is a grave concern and fear from parents to send kids to school. Best would be if e-learning portal are developed with proper training to the teaching faculty. It is a successful mechanism across the globe if imported properly.
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Jun 20, 2020 12:35am
We parents are not take any risk to infected with COVID-19 our kids, even they loss an other one year. Cuz no one follow the SOP and how stop to kids for social distancing to other kids...so its no posible for us to send kids to school in this stage...to batter gives education on online and ask for 70 less fees.
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Jun 20, 2020 02:20am
The "elite" group of private schools are doing just fine with daily online/virtual classroom learning. A strategy and technology infrastructure needs to be devised for the "non-elite" i.e. Government/Public schools and Madrassahs. This is where the heart of Pakistan's beats and it really is the latter educational institutions that have always been the most undermined, underrated and forgotten since 1947.
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Jun 20, 2020 03:20am
It's my request to a prime minister please do fast what you want to do about education institutes but please it's a humble request to you do cancel ONLINE CLASSES, conducting online classes in Pakistan is a horrible experience we faced! Teachers gives lectures and alot of assignments because they think we only used mobile phones at home, especially for girls well we're also facing a net problem and also didn't understand the lectures clearly i think 80% of students and those who live in interior facing these problems they don't have a devices,. Poor net connection also don't have a time to do assignments all day without doing ghar k kam.
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Jun 20, 2020 04:59am
You are too late. It's been 4months since our institutions are closed but their is no stern steps. And for online classes we still demands the govt to restore 3g 4g. Shame
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Jun 20, 2020 05:01am
The time is too late. Please restore 3g 4g for us so that we could take online classes.
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Jun 20, 2020 05:11am
@Fastrack, He is among top 3 yet to see his performance????
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Jun 20, 2020 08:55am
Only good Dreamer can even think for online education. In Pakistan, there is a province of Sindh, where more than 2000 Schools are deserted and where stray dogs are roaming, in our Sindh all appointment in education dept, teachers to peon are on payment.
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Jun 20, 2020 12:40pm
It is imperative to ponder over it
Furthermore, Varsities should be opened for teaching-learning process because University level students are mature enough to follow SOPs and take care itself.
Kindly Consider it seriously and devotedly.
Regards
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Jun 20, 2020 03:05pm
What does the restoration of eduactional activities mean now?is that mean that they intend to start amid july 2020?impossible.after 31st august may strt the educational activities
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Jun 20, 2020 03:56pm
only tele programe and radio programes of education and class wise syllabus oriented lectures will b benificial when students will respond through written assignments like AIOU distance education .online classes are of no use .
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