Primary, Middle & Secondary School Teacher Training In Pakistan

No system of education is above the level of its teachers. Teachers play a crucial role in the system of education. It is important that these teachers are equipped with proper knowledge, skills and attitudes in carrying out the goals of education and fulfilling their obligations.

Teachers training have certain levels which correspond with the general education ability of the teachers. There are three levels of teachers training.

Teachers for the primary schools are trained, and must have passed Secondary School examination. They are provided one year training. After completion of this training they are awarded a certificate called Primary Teacher’s certificate (PTC). Those who possess FA/F.Sc certificate are given one year training and awarded a certificate called Certificate in Education (CT).

PTC and CT training is provided by the Government Colleges of Elementary Education (GCEE). There are separate elementary Colleges of Education for girls and boys who have been established at all the district headquarters within the country.

Those who possess BA/.Sc degrees are provided one year training called “Bachelor of Education” (B.Ed) at the Government Colleges of Education. These colleges are at a few selected places in each province of the country. Those who further want to specialize in the subject of education undergo one year course called Master in Education (M.Ed). This course is conducted by the Colleges of Education and in the Institutes of Education in the Universities. Teachers also do M.Phil and Ph.D in Education from the universities. Those who possess M.Ed or M.Phil teach in the Colleges of Education. At the University level Ph.Ds are employed to train teachers.

Allama Iqbal Open University has started teacher training courses through its distance education system for those students who cannot afford to attend formal regular courses in the teacher training institutions. National Education policy (1998-2011) provides for modernizing the courses in teachers training. Accordingly, the duration and period of training at all levels of training is being increased, including better salaries for the teachers.

There are few problems in the teacher-training programme which include non -availability of qualified teaching faculty for the Colleges of Education, quality training programmes, financial problems of the Training Institutions, lack of quality material for training and lack of effective system of management and supervision. But the most serious problem is that the teachers do not use those teaching skills and methods in their classes which were taught to them in the training institutions.