The government of Punjab has launched a comprehensive education reform program focusing on three critical areas of learning, access & equity and governance.
The program titled ‘The New Deal 2018-2023’ was launched by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at a ceremony held in Lahore. The New Deal is a multi-pronged reform agenda to restructure the very idea of public education in the province.
The comprehensive reforms program, The New Deal 2018-2023, caters to three main aspects.
. Learning
. Access & Equity
. Governance#PunjabEducationPolicy#نیا_عزم_2023 pic.twitter.com/R2Cy4WLQjV— School Education Punjab (@SchoolEduPunjab) February 21, 2019
Provincial Education Minister Murad Raas was also present.
In his welcome address, the minister highlighted the problems in the education system of the country at large and underscored the subsequent reforms being taken in Punjab for redressal.
He stated that under The New Deal, Urdu will be the medium of instruction at primary level while English will be taught as a subject. Further, the Compulsory Education Act will also be amended so parents can be held responsible for the schooling of the children, he added.
The second sub-component of the main aspect 'Access' caters to improving pre-primary education.
. Transition of katchi into formal ECE module
. Establishing ECE classrooms in schools
. Tailored ECE-appropriate content for teachers#PunjabEducationPolicy#نیا_عزم_2023 pic.twitter.com/NMes9mwlc0— School Education Punjab (@SchoolEduPunjab) February 21, 2019
The Minister stated that the government will revise the teachers’ training modules to meet the changing times. Moreover, like doctors & lawyers, standard accreditation will be introduced for licensing of the teachers.
He concluded that emphasis will be on building a culture of scientific learning and curiosity to help transition students into secondary and higher education with sound technical knowledge and skills.
The first sub-component of the main aspect Learning is the effective training of the teachers.
This compromises of updated training modules, professional standard accreditation (licensing) & provision of teaching material through IMIS.#PunjabEducationPolicy#نیا_عزم_2023 pic.twitter.com/163bfxBjAK
— School Education Punjab (@SchoolEduPunjab) February 21, 2019
Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Minister said the New Deal will positively impact the education sector of the province. He added that parents of dropout children will not be able to avail facilities like health card and Benazir Income Support program.
The second sub-component of the main aspect 'Learning' is strengthening core competencies. It will be centered around:
. Urdu as medium of instruction at primary level
. Updated Curriculum
. Standardised formative assessment#PunjabEducationPolicy#نیا_عزم_2023 pic.twitter.com/mV1CiM03GE— School Education Punjab (@SchoolEduPunjab) February 21, 2019
The third sub-component of the main aspect 'Learning' is to reform post-primary education.
. Reorganizing examination & assessment systems
. Provision of quality basic & learning facilities
. Introducing the concept of STEAM#PunjabEducationPolicy#نیا_عزم_2023 pic.twitter.com/8xRjcTcUUg— School Education Punjab (@SchoolEduPunjab) February 21, 2019
CM Punjab also vowed to enhance the professional capacity of the teachers and said special training programs will be launched for the teachers.
The trained teachers will have a higher paygrade, he added.
In a previous notification, the PTI government in Punjab also barred public school teachers from taking private tuitions.
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