Daily Times

KARACHI: The first ever teachers’ expo, held under the aegis of ‘Badal Do’ initiative, concluded on Saturday with calls for collaboration to improve the sector education sector.

Speaking on the occasion, former federal minister Javed Jabbar said it was high time education departments of provincial governments were linked up with academic reform initiatives of the private sector so that their impact could be multiplied.

Teachers and students associated with government-run school systems, particularly those of the Sindh Education Foundation, should be made part of initiatives like ‘Badal Do’.

He said such initiatives were needed to inculcate values of tolerance, diversity, pluralism and civic responsibility among teachers.

The first panel, moderated by Rumana Hussain, was on the theme: ‘Is education all about textbooks and examinations?’

Educationist Saleem Mughal, Sheema Kirmani of Tehreek-e-Niswan, social activist Qurrat Mirza and Sana Barni of SABAQ were the panelists. They stressed the use of creative techniques as part of education and character building measures during schooling.

Another panel discussion was moderated by Afia Salam on the following theme: how well do students understand the world they live in?

Humaira Bachal of Dream Foundation Trust, Farieha Aziz of Bolo Bhi, Nazia Hasan of I Am Karachi, senior journalist Wusatullah Khan and Tasneem Ahmer of Uks Media and Research were the panellists. They highlighted that disparities in the education system of the country were preventing many students from realizing their full potential. However, they said how those who remained focused could still break down barriers, provided an enabling environment was provided to them.

Alongside these panel discussions, Badal Do Expo also featured graduation of the over 400 teachers based in Karachi in the first phase of a training. The participating schools were awarded shields by Shahnaz Wazir Ali, former special assistant to the prime minister and ex-chairperson of Higher Education Commission

Speaking on the occasion, she said the initiative had rightly targeted school teachers as they were the most effective agents of change in the society.

The expo showcased the work done by teachers during the training. Senior journalist Zubeida Mustafa inaugurated the exhibition of photographs taken during the training, reflecting on their perception of diversity and plurality. The photographic exhibition featured some of the best historical, cultural, and heritage sites of Karachi.

The short films made by them on social messages were also screened at the exhibition.

In the next phase, the ‘Badal Do’ initiative plans to target a broader community engaging the entire system of schooling including the management, teachers, and students, as well as parents, guardians and other community members, through involvement of 5,000 teachers in 300 schools of the city.

At the event on Monday, there were performances by Zambeel Readings, Tehreek-e-Niswan, Sounds of Kolachi, and The Sketches band, besides story telling sessions for children, and stalls by educational publishers and educational tools companies.

The expo ended with pledges by many schools to become part of the Badal Do way forward.

They all demanded for calling collaboration between government and citizens-based initiatives in the arena of education especially to improve school learning methodologies.

Published in Daily Times, February 27^th 2018.