LAHORE: Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Prof Dr Nizamuddin has said that there is a dire need of teachers’ training to produce quality students for development of the country.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the newly constructed building with the funding by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at the Punjab University (PU) Faculty of Education, the chairman said that the PHEC had launched a comprehensive programme for training of teachers and the Faculty Development Academy had been established for equipping teachers with modern teaching skills.
PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zaffar Mueen Nasar, USAID Mission Director John Groarke, Lahore College for Women’s University (LCWU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Rukhsana Kausar, Faculty of Education Dean Prof Dr Mumtaz Akhtar, Institute of Education and Research Director Prof Dr Rifaqat Ali Akbar, senior faculty members and a large number of students also attended the ceremony.
He said that the establishment of new building for teachers’ education was a big contribution of the USAID. He said that the government would strengthen teachers training programme, as it believed that quality teachers are key to progress.
In his address, the PU vice chancellor said that the United States had played an important role in the development of Pakistan. He said that the USAID had tremendous contribution towards education sector in the country, and this building was one of the best examples of USAID’s financial assistance in education sector. He said that the USAID had provided a lot of scholarships to Pakistanis for pursuing higher studies in the US. He advised students to get benefit from the knowledge corridor project and do their PhDs from top-ranked US universities. He said that PU would spend its resources on producing quality teachers for development of the country.
USAID Mission Director John Groarke said that USAID was working on improving educational standards in Pakistan. He said that USAID was proud of funding the project, which has constructed with a total cost of Rs $3 million. He said that ideal laboratories, classrooms and other related facilities had been provided to teachers and students at the new building. He said that the project would result in producing quality teachers. He said that USAID would continue playing its role in providing leadership in education sector that would pave the way of development in Pakistan.
IER Director Dr Rifaqat Ali Akbar said that the institute was the oldest partners of the USAID since 1959. He said that the people of US had made great contribution for teachers’ education in Pakistan. He said that the new building would open new horizons for quality of teachers’ education in Pakistan.
Earlier, the USAID mission director and the PU vice chancellor inaugurated the building.
