Call for evolving technical criteria for appointment of vice chancellors: moot on education starts

With a view to exploring, analysing and synthesising the successful methodologies in education, academicians and experts shared their experiences on the opening day of the two-day 5th National Conference on 'Quality Assurance in Education' here at PCSIR Auditorium on Saturday.
The moot has been organised by PIQC Institute of Quality in which around 150 senior academicians and professionals from all over the country are participating. Kamran Moosa, CEO PIQC Institute of Quality told Business Recorder that the conference is aimed at sharing the best quality practices in education.
He stated that there are around 107 universities in the country but there exists no technical criteria for appointment of vice-chancellors (VCs) in the universities. He asked the government to prepare technical criteria for appointment of vice-chancellors in the universities so that only those having sound technical knowledge can be appointed as VCs in the Universities.
Kamran stated that Higher Education Commission (HEC) has recently established Quality Cell to ensure quality of education in the universities. The HEC has also asked the Universities to set up Quality Education Cells in their respective institutions. HEC has also evolved Quality Assurance Criteria (QAC) for quality education but it is in preliminary stage.
To a question, he said that there is a bit improvement in quality of education at university level but much more is to be done to ensure quality of education at school level. He was of the view that training of teachers without specific goals and targets is meaningless, as it would not help improve education standard at primary level in the government run schools.
Emphasising the need for application of Information System in the education sector, he stated that reliable data of students, faculty and examinations is necessary to help bring changes for improvement.
Talking about collaboration between industry and academia, he was of the view that industry can get maximum benefits with the academic research, which requires sufficient funds and government encouragement in this connection.
To another query, he said that examination system being followed by different boards is outdated. He advised the government to take the stakeholders into confidence to evolve a foolproof system.
Earlier, Kamran Moosa, presented a paper on 'strategic quality implementation in education' in which he analysed different policies, structures, systems, tools and skills necessary for establishing a sound quality assurance framework in Pakistani educational institute.
Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Awais (Sitara-e-Imtiaz), pro vice-chancellor and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery King Edward Medical University said that the development of the national economy can be done by strengthening the service sector. In this regard, he proposed a framework of academic standards for quality education.
Dr Bernadette Louise, Dean Associate Professor Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development presented her paper on teacher's common difficulties in transiting from teacher-led to learner centred classrooms. Through her paper, she described some of the approaches of teacher's education and few implications for policy and practice of teacher education in Pakistan.
Arif Iqbal Rana, Associate Professor in LUMS delivered his paper on managing quality of graduates and faculty at the LUMS Business School. In his presentation he says that expanding the faculty of the institute affects the quality of the institute. He also shared his experience in retaining high quality faculty and evolving a methodology for performance appraisal system.
Khalid Mahmood, Technical Advisor-Institutional Strengthening, Canada-Pakistan Basic Education Project presented his paper is on quality textbook: need to define parameters.
Through a presentation he described the efforts made to develop standards of quality textbook and validate the developed standards by curriculum experts, text book writers, publishers and teachers and evaluate two primary textbooks on the basis of these standards.
Dr Muhammad Shahbaz Arif Professor and Chairman, University of Management and Technology Lahore through a presentation focused on the issues and current practices to improve quality research. His study reveals that there is a significant difference in the current practices and quality of research after studying 27 experienced university teachers randomly.
Dr Zafar Iqbal from Allama Iqbal Open University read his paper on focusing student support services for quality assurance in open and distance learning. His research paper focuses on the support services being provided by Allama Iqbal University to students.
Dr Muhammad Kamran Jamil, Deputy Director Corporate Relations; Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan, Karachi in his paper on application of information system in the education industry of Pakistan said that the application of information systems played an important role in taking academic and administrative decisions.
Dr Sherwin Rodrigues, senior instructor in Aga Khan University writes his paper on questioning and feedback in the primary classroom as a formative assessment method. In the two days conference, there will be eight technical sessions which will address the quality issues of teachers, teaching methodologies, curriculum, assessment, research, quality assurance models, strategic quality management, leadership and student quality.