Chairman & CEO of Pakistan Observer Faisal Zahid Malik exchanging views with Caretaker Federal Minister for Education & Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi who visited Pakistan Observer.—PO photo by Sh Arif
Caretaker Federal Minister for Education & Professional Training, Madad Ali Sindh on Tuesday shared his vision of transforming 20 schools in the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) setup as per the modern lines so that people’s trust in government schools could be restored. He expressed these views during his visit to Pakistan Observer’s head office and held a meeting with Chairman & CEO of the newspaper Mr Faisal Zahid Malik there.
Madad Ali Sindhi whose six months’ tenure (took charge on August 18, 2023)as interim minister is about to end this month reflected on his efforts to overhaul the entire education spectrum of Pakistan by introducing major reforms. “On the first day after taking charge, I visited Islamabad’s schools and was deeply disappointed to see the pathetic administrative, academic and infrastructure state of affairs. I gave the schools heads a warning and a deadline to improve or face the music. You will be surprised that after the expiry of the deadline when I revisited, the situation was much improved,” he said.
Not only Islamabad, he also undertook whirlwind tours of Quetta, Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad and other parts of the country and held meetings with those at the helm of affairs and discussed how students could be supported in terms of scholarships, research and meaningful education. Madad Ali Sindhi lamented the bureaucratic checks and balances that discouraged the learning environment as the majority of the students were doing PhDs with little scope in practical life.
He also spoke about the FDE’s typical mindset that was not friendly towards the teachers at all. “I gave clear instructions to the FDE to facilitate the teachers’ community and also got daily wage teachers regularized by the Federal Cabinet, however the matter was taken to the high court and the process was halted,’’ he regretted. It also goes to the credit of the Interim Minister for Education to review the operational performance of the National Endowment Scholarship for Talent (NEST) at a recent Board of Directors meeting where he directed the members to hold regular meetings for best results.
Likewise, the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) that had not held its BoD meeting for years was also made active and the Minister directed the commission to pursue its goals by imparting quality education and vocational training to the youth.
The world needs skilled force and Pakistan with its huge youth base can fulfill those needs, he said. The Minister also referred to the constant support and patronage of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir and Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar in these youth-friendly initiatives. He requested the incoming government, whichever it is, to continue and invest in these projects.
Mr Faisal Zahid Malik appreciated the Caretaker Minister’s efforts for improving the quality of education and skill training in the country. Later, the minister visited various sections of Pakistan Observer as well as OTV and commended the newspaper for carrying forward the golden legacy of the founder Editor-in-Chief, late Zahid Malik.
