ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has called for modernising the education system of Pakistan in alignment with global standards which also includes the examination system.

He was speaking at the launching ceremony of Model Assessment Framework, organised by the Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) on Tuesday.

“Our generation witnessed transition from slate to technology and future generations will see even more profound changes,” he said, adding that to meet these challenges, the priority should be to prepare youth with the skills required to compete in the global economy.

The minister said that under the government’s Vision 2025 initiative, comprehensive reforms in curriculum and examination systems were being implemented to ensure a brighter future for the nation’s students.

Mr Iqbal stressed that teacher training is pivotal to achieving quality education and announced the plans to establish a state-of-the-art teacher training institute in Islamabad. “Without investing in teacher training, quality education will remain a distant dream,” he remarked.

Highlighting the need for reforms in the examination system, the minister called for a holistic overhaul of assessment methodologies to improve educational standards.

He also announced the upcoming National Curriculum Summit, which will bring together top education experts to align the curriculum with contemporary global needs.

Referring to the Pakistan Education District Index Report, Mr Iqbal expressed concern over the findings that none of the 134 districts surveyed meet the highest standards of educational quality. He stressed the importance of decentralising authority to empower districts and foster innovation.

“Centralised control has hampered progress; provinces must share best practices and create healthy competition to drive improvements,” he added.

Expressing concern over widespread exam cheating, the minister emphasised its negative impact on educational integrity.

“If Cambridge University can conduct transparent exams globally, why can’t we,” he questioned, calling for greater transparency and accountability in the examination process.

He also highlighted the Five Es Framework as a cornerstone of the government’s education reform strategy, aimed at ensuring equitable access, enhanced quality, efficient governance and empowered communities.

The planning minister stressed the importance of fostering self-assessment skills among students and encouraged educational boards to adopt a culture of self-accountability and added that the time for complacency is over.

“If we do not declare an educational emergency, we risk falling behind in the global race,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2024