Rationalization of Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs in Pakistan. Pre-STEP. Pre-Service Teacher Education Program (Pre-STEP) Pakistan

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2 Pre-STEP Pre-Service Teacher Education Program in Pakistan Rationalization of Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs in Pakistan Pre-Service Teacher Education Program (Pre-STEP) Pakistan

3 Disclaimer Rationalization of Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs in Pakistan Pre-STEP/ USAID Published in 2010 by: Pre-STEP PO Box: 513 Islamabad Design and Layout: Syntec M Disclaimer: This Report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Pre-Service Teacher Education Program (Pre-STEP) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Pre-Service Teacher Education Program in Pakistan Funded by: USAID/Pakistan Implemented by: Academy for Educational Development in collaboration with Higher Education Commission and Ministry of Education Government of Pakistan.

4 Rationalization of Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs in Pakistan May 2010

5 Table of Contents List of Tables...ii Abbreviations...iii Foreword...iv Acknowledgment...v Executive Summary...1 About Pre-STEP...3 INTRODUCTION...5 Context...6 METHODOLOGY...10 Findings...12 Recommendations...14 CONCLUSION...19 BIBLIOGRAPHY...20 APPENDIX A...21 APPENDIX B...23 ii

6 List of Tables Table 1. Teaching Workforce...6 Table 2. Overview of Teacher Education Institutes in Four Provinces...7 Table 3. Professional Standards for Teachers...8 Table 4. Format of Studies for Four-year Integrated Curriculum for B.Ed...9 Table 5. Recommended ADE Program...15 Table 6. Recommended Scheme of Studies for ADE...16 Table 7. Structure of the Recommended ADE...16 ii

7 Abbreviations AED AEPAM AJK B.Ed (Hons) BISE BoC CE CT CRISP DCTE DoE DSD FoE GCE GCET HEC ICT MoE M.Ed NACTE NEC NTF PITE PTC RITE USAID Academy for Educational Development Academy of Education Planning and Management Azad Jammu and Kashmir Bachelor of Education Honors Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Bureau of Curriculum Certificate in Education Certificate of Teaching Community Rehabilitation and Infrastructure Support Program Directorate of Curriculum and Teacher Education Department of Education Directorate of Staff Development Faculty of Education Government Colleges of Education Government College of Elementary Training Higher Education Commission Information Communication Technology Ministry of Education Masters of Education National Accreditation Council for Teacher Education National Education Census National Task Force Provincial Institute of Teacher Education Primary Teacher Certificate Regional Institutes of Teacher Education United States Agency for International Development iii

8 Foreword Reforms in Teacher Education are an essential element for achieving better student learning outcomes in basic education. This is the vision that guides our Teacher Education policies. In the context of Pakistan's education scenario, we cannot achieve the objective of quality education without revamping our pre-service teacher education programs. The Pre-STEP National Steering Committee commissioned this analytical study of existing patterns and programs of Pre-Service teacher education, scheme of studies and organizational structures for evolving a quality program aligned with and responsive to the National Education Policy of This study provides a process of change and reform leading to qualitative improvements in classroom teaching, through better qualified teachers. An outcome of this study is an in-depth analysis of the existing nomenclature, duration and scheme of studies of the prevailing Pre-Service teacher education programs in the country. While undertaking this study, the contents of the existing teacher education program especially curricula, pedagogy, assessment and practicum were thoroughly analyzed by the appointed Task Force. The National Task force also analyzed the gaps between the capacity of the existing teacher education programs and the desired outcomes of the newly adopted teacher education policy. The study presents its recommendations broadly in four categories: general, curriculum and scheme of studies, rewards and incentives and organizational structure. This study outlines the way forward for improvements in pre-service teacher education programs. The findings of this study when implemented as recommended will help to achieve the goals of quality education in Pakistan as stated in the National Education Policy, Syed Sohail H. Naqvi Executive Director Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad iv

9 Acknowledgement This study could not have been possible without the extensive support of the provincial governments, their teacher training institutions, Ministry of Education, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and its National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC). We were provided with immense cooperation from the Task Force members, members of the Pre-STEP provincial advisory committees for the completion of this study. Our special thanks go to the members of the National Task Force for their commitment and dedication and for providing their precious time for making this study an element of change in the ongoing process of reforms in teacher education. Their insight on teacher education issues at grass-root level and their invaluable suggestions for change helped us shape this study. Since it is not possible to acknowledge each and every individual by name in this limited space, we would like to express our appreciation to everyone who provided their valuable support and advice for the development of this report. Finally we would like to extend our gratitude to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for their financial and logistical support, Ministry of Education and Higher Education Commission for their technical and administrative support which was provided very graciously for conducting this study. Aurangzeb Rehman Joint Education Advisor, Policy and Planning Wing, Ministry of Education v

10 Executive Summary In its April 2009 meeting, the Pre-STEP National Steering Committee directed the establishment of a national task force of eminent educators from all the provinces and areas of the country to undertake an analytical study of the prevailing patterns, policies and programs of pre-service preparation of teachers and to recommend viable courses and programs based on the National Professional Standards for Teachers. The Rationalization Study was conducted in response to this request. The study is one step in the process of change and reform designed to lead to improvements in classroom teaching through the development of better qualified teachers. Currently, a variety of prevailing teacher certification programs exists throughout the country. These programs are generally limited by outdated pedagogy, inadequate teaching of subject matter, lack of instruction in communication, critical thinking and creative teaching skills. The objective of the Rationalization Study was to review the prevailing pre-service teacher education programs, their curriculum, scheme of studies, and organizational structure, and to make a recommendation for a single qualitatively superior program aligned with and responsive to the National Education Policy of After conducting investigations, the Rationalization Study makes the following recommendations: A four-year B.Ed. (Hons.) degree implemented as the new standard for teacher education. There was unanimous agreement that future teachers shall be prepared through a 4-year B.Ed. (Hons.) program of credit hours. The entry requirements shall be 12-years of schooling with a minimum second division in an examination conducted by a Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. The standardized format and scheme of studies for the 4 year baccalaureate degree shall include a set of general education core courses, foundation courses in education, professional pedagogy courses, content courses to develop subject-matter proficiency in at least two disciplines of knowledge a sequence of supervised field experiences / internships in schools. This degree may be offered at universities, regional institutes of teacher education and upgraded government colleges of teacher education. Secondly, the study recommends a transitional two year Associate Degree in Education (ADE). The Associate Degree in Education shall be aligned with and lead to the B.Ed. (Hons.) program. Since large numbers of qualified teachers will be needed to increase student access at primary school level during the transition period , it is proposed that a new 2-year, Associate Degree in Education after 12-years of basic education be instituted to replace all Primary Teacher Certificate, (PTC) Certificate of Teaching (CT) and Diploma courses. All the provincial representatives and stakeholders agreed to institute a credit hour program with a balanced curriculum of general education, content area and pedagogical courses and practical 1

11 experiences during the transition period. This will constitute the first two years of the 4-year degree program. Punjab proposed an ADE program of 102 credit hours to be completed in three years to meet its unique needs. Since Punjab has already instituted the policy of hiring elementary teachers with B.A+B.Ed. (14+1 year) qualification, it is suitable for the GCETs in Punjab to have a 3 year ADE. The new ADE will be equivalent to the current 14+1 nomenclature. Candidates who obtain 4-Year B.Ed. after 12 years of schooling in Punjab will qualify for a higher salary grade than the ADE. The National Curriculum Review Committee for education will collaborate with Pre-STEP partner universities to develop syllabi, course content, instructional materials and internal assessment procedures of the revised B.Ed. (Hons.) program and the interim ADE. The revised courses will be piloted at selected Pre-STEP universities and shared with others for wider adoption during To meet the needs of schools using research-based review and improvement of teacher education curricula, faculty of Pre-STEP universities will be developed through post-graduate programs in the United States. Lastly, the study recommends a system of rewards and incentives. The recipients of B.Ed. (Hons.) degree shall be hired in Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 17 and ADE recipients at BPS-16, several levels above and salary much greater than that of current PTC, CT and Diploma holders. New recruitment rules giving preference to recipients of these degrees to fill new teaching positions will have to be formulated. Financial aid including tuition waivers and advanced increments is to be available to attract non-degreed teachers to improve their qualifications through the B.Ed. (Hons.) program. 2

12 About Pre-STEP Pre-STEP is a five year program, supporting the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Commission in a comprehensive reform effort to improve the quality of pre-service teacher education programs in Pakistan. The program is funded by USAID and is being implemented by Academy for Educational Development. Michigan State University (MSU) and the Education Development Center (EDC) are partnering with AED in this program. Pre-STEP has three main objectives: 1) Pre-STEP will improve systems and policies supporting teachers and education managers by: mapping teacher needs and preparing plans for meeting teacher demand in the future; completing revision of teaching standards and developing standards for education managers; building capacity of education managers; developing proposals for licensing and accreditation of teachers and education managers; defining the minimum requirements for professional development; and developing proposals for new pay and grade scales for teachers. 2) Pre-STEP will support pre-service teacher education programs of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Ministry of Education (MOE) to improve their degree programs. This will be accomplished by: providing material support to selected Faculties of Education of universities and government colleges for teacher training; providing Ph.D. training for the faculty of the selected universities and M.A. training for the teaching staff of government colleges; pilot and evaluate the new Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. Hons.) curriculum and provide technical assistance to the selected universities to improve delivery of their new teacher education programs; develop an interim degree program that can lead to the B.Ed.; and assist in the establishment of knowledge and skills standards for new teachers. 3

13 3) Prepare a plan to implement the new curriculum to include: scholarships for new teachers; scholarships for in-service teachers to upgrade their qualifications; and building the capacity of government colleges to deliver the new programs. 4

14 INTRODUCTION Of all the factors effecting the quality of education, teachers have the most direct impact on what students learn, their attitude toward education, as well as promoting a culture of life-long learning. A growing body of evidence indicates a correlation between quality of teacher preparation and teacher performance in the classroom. The more prepared teachers are to understand content knowledge, design various types of lessons and assessments, and consider student perspectives, the more confident they are as professionals and more successful their students become (Darling-Hammond, 2000). According to the National Education Policy of 2009, in order to improve the overall quality of education in Pakistan, the standard of teacher education must be raised. Amongst its various proposals, the Policy calls for reform in pre-service training and standardization of professional qualifications. The Policy makes the following recommendations: 1. A Bachelors degree, with a B.Ed., shall be the minimum requirement for teaching at the elementary level. A Masters level for the secondary and higher secondary, with a B.Ed., shall be ensured by PTC and CT shall be phased out through encouraging the present set of teachers to improve their qualifications. 2. Teacher training arrangements, accreditation and certification procedures shall be standardized and institutionalized. The Rationalization Study was commissioned to review the current status of diverse institutional arrangements of teacher preparation in all the provinces and areas and to recommend a path toward a uniform system of standardized programs aligned with and responsive to the National Education Policy. Moreover, the Study is one step in the process of education reform designed to lead to improvements in classroom teaching by preparing better qualified teachers. It is intended to support an education policy reform process that involves the following components: 1. Mapping standards-based needs of professional preparation of teachers who can successfully implement the new national scheme of studies, 2. Developing new teacher education programs that promote core competencies of general education, proficiency of content knowledge and pedagogical skills, 3. Developing proposals for licensing of teachers based on successful completion of the new pre-service programs, 4. Developing proposals for the new pay and grade scales for teachers to commensurate with higher qualifications, and 5

15 5. Building the professional capacity of teacher educators and educational managers and setting minimum standards for their professional development. The recommendations of the Rationalization Study aim at adoption of a strategic policy framework for uniform improvement of teacher education programs and improvement of teacher status. Context Professional preparation of teachers in Pakistan has been studied by a number of scholars over the last two decades and a considerable body of literature has been developed. A variety of official policy statements on the topic have also been written. Most of this literature is critical of the prevailing modes of teacher preparation in the country. They point out archaic curricula, outdated and poor quality of instruction, unattractive salaries, terms and conditions of service that accept mediocrity in hiring, retention and promotion as some of the causes of poor quality of teachers and teaching (Aly, 2006). The reports point to lack of a viable national framework and professional standards for teacher training, which has led each institution to develop teacher preparation programs at their own will. The findings of these studies highlight the complexity of institutional arrangements, their concomitant lack of coherence and the obstacles this poses to producing consistency in quality of teachers in all the provinces. These studies called for qualitative improvement of teacher education programs and proposed professional standards to assess the quality of teachers produced by teacher education programs. Such standards would also serve as a framework for the design of innovative and relevant programs of preservice teacher education integrating general education in liberal arts and sciences, subject matter proficiency, pedagogical studies and a sequence of supervised field experiences in schools (Butt, 2008). Source: National Education Census (2005), Ministry of Education, Islamabad Currently, a variety of prevailing teacher certification programs exists throughout the country including Primary Teacher Certificate, Certificate of Teaching, Diploma and B.Ed. courses of varying durations. An overview of these institutes/programs is presented in Table 2. These programs are generally categorized by outdated pedagogy, inadequate teaching of subject matter, and lack of instruction in effective communication, critical thinking and creative teaching skills. 6

16 Teacher education has traditionally been administered by the centralized Departments of Education of each province. None of the 270 teacher education institutions in Pakistan have been subjected to rigorous oversight nor accreditation process. In each province the policymaking structure has prevented collaboration and communication among teacher preparation institutions. Furthermore, institutions have little linkage with the district education policymakers and schools (Butt, 2008). Several new education policies have been passed and are being implemented which will directly impact the preparation of teachers in the coming years. The main policies are the National Education Policy 2009, National Scheme of Studies 2006, National Professional Teaching Standards 2008, National Accreditation Council for Teacher Education 2009, and a four-year B.Ed format which was proposed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in These surely will directly impact the preparation of teachers in the coming years. A new National Scheme of Studies was notified by the Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2006 and called for interactive teaching and learning in language arts, social studies, humanities, science, mathematics and information communication technology. The National Scheme outlines the content knowledge that students should be taught at each class level. The qualitatively superior and challenging Scheme of Studies demands better educated and well prepared teachers to implement it. 7

17 The National Education Policy, as discussed previously above, has identified two overarching priorities: 1) Free, universal primary education by 2015 and up to grade ten by ) Raise the quality of educational output... in the areas of curriculum, teacher quality, pedagogy, current and up to date text books and valid and reliable assessment strategies to objectively measure student achievement... This task can be accomplished by building new schools and staffing them with competent, well prepared teachers, school leaders and managers. Source: National Professional Standards for Teacher in Pakistan 2008 In November 2008 the MoE adopted and notified ten National Professional Standards for teachers in Pakistan. These nationally agreed upon standards are designed to define competencies, skills and attributes deemed as essential targets for beginning teachers, accomplished master teachers, teacher educators and other educational specialists. The standards are to guide the development of pre- and inservice programs of teacher education. Furthermore, the National Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (NACTE) has been established and it has developed policies, procedures and a system for accrediting teacher education programs and institutions that offer them. NACTE has developed objective standards to assess the quality of teacher education programs through a well-defined process of institutional self-study and third-party assessments by experienced educators. Lastly, in 2006 the HEC prepared a standardized format of studies for a four-year Bachelor in Education Degree (Table 4). The proposed 4 year B.Ed. program would be credit hours, composed of 8 semesters of weeks each. In the context of the later adopted Education Policy (2009), this proposed program is being revisited and reconsidered as guiding document for the basis of formulating new 4 year B.Ed. (Hons.) and 2 year ADE. 8

18 The Rationalization Study reviews and assesses the current status of various teacher preparation programs throughout Pakistan. In light of the development of National Scheme of Studies, National Professional Standards for Teachers and the proposed system of accrediting teacher education programs, the Rationalization Study evaluates the existing gaps between these policies and the current realities of teacher preparation programs. Based on the gaps, the Study makes recommendations for a policy and framework for the 4 year B.Ed. which include specific information about the curriculum and scheme of studies, rewards and incentives, and organizational structure for these programs. The Study also makes recommendations for transitioning from the variety of current programs to one uniform national B.Ed. program. 9

19 METHODOLOGY A twelve-person National Task Force (see Appendix A) representing four provinces and two areas of Pakistan was set up under the leadership of Dr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan Butt in September 2009, and started formal deliberations upon the scope and methodology of the th study. They prepared a detailed work plan to complete the assigned tasks by November 15, Since authority for decision-making regarding education of teachers lies primarily with the provinces, the Provincial Steering Committees consisting of senior educational officials and policy makers and the Provincial Advisory Committees consisting of technical experts and stakeholders in teacher education were involved throughout the study. Pre-STEP had already developed Provincial Steering and Advisory Committees and the Pre-STEP Provincial Directors and support staff were to facilitate the work of these committees. The objectives of the Provincial Advisory Committees were: 1. Review the existing teacher preparation programs/processes in all provinces and areas. 2. Recommend policy framework for the ADE diploma program and how it will be linked to the 4-year B.Ed program 3. Identify the content and duration of the ADE and B.Ed programs; In order to accomplish their objectives the National Task Force (NTF) members first clearly ascertained the current state of teacher education institutes in their respective provinces. They identified nomenclature, duration and schemes of study of the prevailing pre-service programs, including Primary Teacher Certificate (PTC), Certificate of Teaching (CT) and diploma courses. They reviewed the content of these programs specifically considering their curricula, pedagogy, assessment and practica. Furthermore the National Task Force members defined the length of time, curricula and schemes of study of existing programs. They held consultations with leaders, faculty and staff of Regional Institutes of Teacher Education (RITE), Provincial Institutes of Teacher Education (PITE), Government Colleges of Elementary Teaching (GCET) and Bureau of Curriculum (BoC) administrators about basic qualifications of teachers at primary and middle school level through various pre-service options. Having thoroughly reviewed the various teacher preparation programs, the Task Force members shared their findings with their respective Provincial Committee Advisory groups. Next the provincial groups studied the recent education policy documents. Although many members were familiar with some or all of the policies, in order to bring everyone to same level 10

20 of understanding, the Provincial Committee members were provided with the following documents: National Education Policy 2009 (Chapter 6, Raising Quality of Education) National Professional Standards for Teachers in Pakistan, 2008 The National Accreditation Council of Teacher Education, 2009 Standards and Criteria for Accrediting Teacher Education Programs and Institutions The National Scheme of Studies for Pre-School through Grade 12 adopted by the MoE in consultation with all the provinces in 2006 and HEC Curriculum of Education, B.Ed./BS (Hons.), revised in The National Task Force members and the Provincial Advisory group analyzed the gaps between capacity of the existing teacher preparation programs and the desired outcome of the adopted education policies. Based upon the gaps, the Advisory Committees formulated proposals for a new B.Ed. teacher education program in light of four specific areas: 1) curriculum and scheme of studies, 2) rewards and incentives, 3) organizational structure and 4) the ADE program to be implemented during the transitional phase. Their recommendations included streamlined structure, admission eligibility requirements, duration and content. Furthermore, they defined the length of time and content of curricula for proposed programs and recommended minimum admissions qualifications based on professional standards. After the provincial groups completed their analyses and developed initial recommendations, they met with National Task Force members at their respective provincial headquarters. The purpose of these meetings was to review, refine and agree upon their recommendations. They involved key policy makers including Secretaries of Education to include their feedback and establish their approvals. Each National Task Force Provincial Advisory team produced a report on the rationalizing procedures they followed in the course of the study. All six provincial and area reports are compiled and available for detailed reading. A final national two-day meeting was held on Nov 4-5, 2009 in Islamabad. In addition to National Task Force members, sixteen key officials of Pre-STEP including all the provincial Directors, members of the HEC National Curriculum Review Committee for education and other stakeholders were invited to this meeting. The purpose of this meeting was to review all the provincial reports and develop a consolidated set of recommendations to be shared with the National Steering Committee in early December A final, short list of policy recommendations was approved for sharing with National Steering Committee in December

21 Findings Following are the consolidated national findings resulting from and agreed upon by the Provincial Advisory Committees. They are presented in four categories: 1) General, 2) Curriculum and Scheme of Studies, 3) Rewards and Incentives, and 4) Organizational Structure. General Currently available pre-service teacher education programs do not have quality course content to comply with the National Professional Standards nor prepare teachers who can implement the 2006 National Scheme of Studies for K-12 grades. Throughout the history of teacher education, several generations of programs have replaced each other in the provinces and areas of Pakistan. For example, Normal Schools have played a critical role in developing elementary school teachers as 'classroom practitioners' through Senior Vernacular and Junior Vernacular Certificate programs. As part of education reform, the Normal Schools were replaced with the Teacher Training Institutions and offered Certificate in Teaching (CT) and Primary Teaching Certificate (PTC). Through another intervention, the nomenclature of these Teacher Training Institutions was changed to Colleges of Education and Elementary Colleges of Education. The Colleges of Education were responsible for offering Bachelor of Teaching or Bachelor of Education and Master of Education whereas the Elementary Colleges of Education continued their CT and PTC courses. With time, CT and PTC courses became obsolete and ineffective. Hence, an attempt was made to introduce two Diploma programs (each of 10 plus 2 years and 12 plus 1 and ½ years) and replace CT and PTC courses after successful piloting. Due to lack of sound empirical evidence about the success of both diploma programs, CT and PTC courses continued. These courses are still being taught in the Elementary Colleges of Education in some provinces. PTC and CT courses have become outdated courses and they are no longer serving their desired purpose. Thus, these courses have several demerits including: short duration, theoretical courses, ineffective practice teaching, ineffective formative and summative assessment, low entry academic requirements etc. In many institutions, teacher educators without adequate academic and professional qualifications deliver these courses. This has badly affected quality of teacher education for preparing teachers for elementary schools. Curriculum & Scheme of Studies Prevailing primary school teacher certification programs do not have breadth of general liberal education nor depth of subject matter proficiency. The pedagogy of the past inherent in the PTC, CT and Diploma programs lacks interactive teaching/learning strategies demanded by the new National Scheme of Studies. The old pedagogical skills promoted in these programs foster rote memorization, unquestioning acceptance of textual materials and passive preparation for tests. The low admission requirements (Matriculation, FA/F.Sc), period of study (1-2 years) and limited content knowledge of the programs preclude preparation of quality teachers; hence, these need to be replaced. 12

22 As per teacher education qualification framework, the Elementary Colleges are responsible for preparing elementary teachers and Colleges of Education and Faculty of Education/Department of Education of public sector universities are preparing secondary teachers. However, some selected teacher education institutions have been offering a four-year B.S, B.Ed. program after completion of secondary school certificate. In the meantime, a fouryear B.Ed. teacher education program is also offered by number of teacher education institutions. Thus, a number of teacher education programs are being offered without any strategic direction. Hence, there is need to review all teacher education programs and bring them under a 'holistic' framework of teacher education. A four-year B.S. in Education program conducted by several universities cannot be considered equal to a four-year B.Ed. program as there are major fundamental differences. Transition The condition of the teacher training institutions particularly in terms of human resources at the district level is inadequate to transition into a B.Ed. Several provinces expressed concerns about holders of PTC and CT certificates and their compatibility with ADE and how holders of the former certificates will be effected by transition to B.Ed. Rewards and Incentives The prevailing salary and service conditions do not attract academically qualified or talented candidates to teaching. Lack of a decent living wage is also an impediment to desirable social status and self esteem of teachers. Large numbers of unqualified people are appointed to teaching jobs, thereby decreasing the value placed on the teaching profession and damaging the education system in general. Although large numbers of Diploma in Education holders exist in a particular province, people without even this basic qualification are frequently appointed to teaching jobs. Organizational Structure Professional capacity of most faculty at various teacher preparation institutes are not sufficient to meet the demands of a more rigorous B.Ed. or ADE program. Faculty members are often placed in their positions based on seniority and once they are in their positions, there is no opportunity for professional appraisal, development or training. Although various donor programs have offered professional development opportunities to the instructors at these institutions, the lack of follow-up support has been a major impediment in solidifying gains made through donor supported professional capacity building. It is a well known by all that no one donor could carry the burden of enhancing the professional qualifications of faculty members in GCETs. Unless there is a meaningful professional development budget dedicate to 13

23 the GCETs within the government's financial structures, teaching capacity would remain an issue. Recommendations Following are the consolidated national recommendations resulting from and agreed upon by the Provincial Advisory Committees. They are presented in four categories: 1) General, 2) Curriculum and Scheme of Studies, 3) Rewards and Incentives, and 4) Organizational Structure. A summary of more than 150 recommendations made by provincial stakeholders can be found in Appendix B. General The standardized format and scheme of studies for the 4 year baccalaureate degree shall be implemented as the new standard in teacher preparation programs. It will include a set of general education core courses, foundation courses in education, professional pedagogy courses, a sequence of supervised field experiences / internships in schools, and content courses to develop subject-matter proficiency in at least two disciplines of knowledge. This degree shall be offered at universities, Regional Institutes of Teacher Education (RITEs) and upgraded Government Colleges of Elementary Training (GCETs). A sequence of supervised, school-based internships and practice-teaching is an integral part of the B.Ed. (Hons.) program to produce a reflective practitioner of the art and science of teaching. Curriculum and Scheme of Studies The standardized format and scheme of studies for the 4 year baccalaureate degree shall include a set of general education core courses, foundation courses in education and pedagogy, content courses to develop subject-matter proficiency in at least two disciplines of knowledge and a sequence of supervised, school-based internships and practice-teaching. This degree shall be offered at universities, RITEs, and upgraded GCETs. The National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC) for education established by HEC and Pre-STEP partner universities will work collaboratively to develop the detailed syllabi, course content, instructional materials and internal assessment procedures of the revised B.Ed. (Hons.) program and the interim degree to be offered at GCETs. Four-years/eight semesters B.Ed. (Hons.) program of credit hours shall be required of all future teachers after The entrance requirements shall be 12 years of schooling with a minimum second division in an examination conducted by a BISE. Transition During the transition period , a two year Associate Degree in Education (ADE) will be introduced with a balanced blend of general education, subject matter preparation, pedagogy 14

24 courses and practical experiences to replace the PTC, CT and Diploma courses. All the provincial representatives agreed to have ADE of credit hours except Punjab, which opted to have a 3-year/102 credit hour Associate Degree in Education after 12 years of basic education because of its unique situation. Punjab also proposed three specialization streams in 1 the ADE to prepare teachers of Science, Mathematics, and Languages including English. The credit hour program will have a balanced curriculum of general education, content area, pedagogical courses and practical experiences during the transition period. This will constitute the first two years of the 4-year degree program. Punjab proposed an ADE program of 102 credit hours to be completed in three years to meet its unique needs. Table 5 delineates and compares the programs proposed by Punjab and other provinces leading to an ADE. Table 6 outlines the recommended scheme of studies for the ADE programs and Table 7 summarizes the structure of the recommended program. 1 Punjab has already abolished PTC and CT programs and is in the process of hiring 40,000 new teachers who hold at least a Bachelor's degree. 15

25 Note: Universities and GCETS have the option to sequence the courses per scheduling need. ** Science courses with laboratory work carry 04 credits. 16

26 The jointly revised courses will be piloted at the selected Pre-STEP partner universities and shared widely for adoption by others during The faculty of Pre-STEP partner universities will be developed through U.S. university post-graduate programs to institutionalize research-based review and refinement of teacher education curricula to meet the evolving needs of schools. ADE (12+2) or (12+3) is to be recognized by HEC and employers as equivalent to a 14 years' baccalaureate degree for recruitment and salary purposes. The ADE shall be offered at RITES and GCETs that have aptly qualified faculty and facilities, including well-stocked libraries, well-equipped laboratories, Information Communication Technology (ICT) hardware and connectivity. Since the degree-granting authority is with the universities, all RITES and GCETs shall be affiliated with their neighboring universities. GCETs will be upgraded all over the country to serve as model colleges for preparing teachers. They will go through the NACTE accreditation process during Both the ADE and B.Ed (Hons) shall include course work and practical experiences to promote a professional code of conduct and ethics to produce scholarly professional teachers. However, it is increasingly looking that even the best of GCETs and RITES still lack critical elements that are necessary for the effective implementation of a successful ADE program. Most important of these elements is the lack of proper number of instructors in GCETs. Also at BOCEs, human resources essential for providing basic training and then conducting followup are lacking. Whereas Pre-STEP and other donors can provide the impetus for the introduction of the ADE in these institutions, due to the absence of critical human resource, which is almost always is supposed to be paid for by the government, instituting well designed ADE program could be a challenge. Rewards and Incentives A system of financial aid including tuition waivers and advanced increments is to be made available to attract non-degreed teachers to improve their qualifications through the B.Ed. (Hons.) program. The Ministry of Education may consider providing incentives like tuition reimbursement, salary increments and performance-based rewards to encourage ADE holders to complete 4-years B.Ed. (Hons.). Salaries need to be significantly enhanced and financial aid programs instituted to provide incentives for continuous professional development of all teachers. The provincial governments have agreed to increase starting salaries for ADE holders to BPS- 16 and B.Ed. (Hons.) holders to BPS-17. Pre-STEP is to facilitate the formulation of policies and recommend the approval of new higher pay scales, recruitment rules and service conditions for teachers. The provincial Departments of Services and General Administration have to formulate new recruitment rules that will give preference to the holders of these degrees to fill new teaching positions. 17

27 ADE teachers will be entitled to a study leave for the completion of B.Ed. (Hons.) program. Annual increments shall be given during study leave. Provincial governments shall be approached to amend or develop new teacher recruitment rules to commensurate with new qualifications. A career ladder for teachers and teacher educators need to be developed to prepare specialized teachers and educational administrators. Organizational Structure A separate cadre of Teacher Educators with specialized post-graduate qualifications needs to be developed to staff the upgraded RITEs and teacher preparation colleges. A separate cadre for Teacher Educators and Educational Managers staffing institutions, offering ADE and B.Ed. (Hons.) needs to be established. Recruitment to the cadre shall be based on advanced credentials like M.Ed, M.Phil and/or a P.hD in various specializations of education and grade-appropriate teaching/ administrative experiences. The practicing teachers in the system ought to be provided financial and promotion incentives to encourage them to improve their professional stature and social esteem through completion of the B.Ed. (Hons.) program. A system of renewable teacher licensure based on successful completion of an accredited ADE and/or B.Ed. (Hons.) and competency testing needs to be instituted. The proposed ADE shall be offered at the GCETs using the semester system and credit hours during the transitional period till After that B.Ed. (Hons.) will be required for hiring of all new teachers. GCETs will be affiliated with universities as the degree awarding institutions, which will seek NACTE accreditation. Specialized faculty and facilities need to be developed at GCETs, RITES, University Departments of Education and IERs. Special attention needs to be paid to libraries stocked with current and up to date educational materials, well equipped laboratories for teaching of experimental sciences and ICT facilities with broadband internet access. A major public awareness and advocacy campaign to promote B.Ed. (Hons) degree as the goldstandard needs to be undertaken during

28 CONCLUSION Teacher education in Pakistan has undergone several structural and policy changes in the last two decades, but these have been somewhat cosmetic in nature. A large variety of teacher education programs exist, their quality is generally poor. Most of these programs are still operating in an outdated lecture-memorization paradigm and are hindered by other difficulties thereby failing to prepare reflective, capable, professional teachers. Furthermore, many of the teacher preparation programs do not have capacity to meet the standards outlined by recent education policies. Lastly, as they exist today, teacher education programs lack the capacity to develop cadres of teachers who in turn could prepare Pakistani youth for the economic, social, environmental and technological realities of the 21st century. Consequently, a much more rigorous program for teacher preparation must be implemented. After reviewing the various teacher education programs, their curriculum, scheme of studies, and organizational structure, and comparing their capacity with the outcome envisioned by various education policies of the last three years, the Rationalization Study makes several recommendations: A four-year B.Ed. (Hons.) degree should be implemented as the criterion for people entering classroom education. The B.Ed. (Hons.) degree should be 4-year B.Ed. (Hons.) program of credit hours with entry requirements of 12-years of schooling. The Rationalization Study proposes standardized format and scheme of studies for the degree which shall include general education courses, foundation courses in education, professional pedagogy courses, content courses and a sequence of practicum. The degree shall be offered at universities, RITEs and upgraded GCETs. The study also recommends a transitional two year Associate Degree in Education (ADE) to be aligned with the B.Ed. (Hons.) and replace all PTC, CT and Diploma courses. Twelve years of basic education should be required to enter this credit hour program with a balanced curriculum of general education, content area and pedagogical courses and practical experiences during the transition period. The Associate Degree in Education would constitute the first two years of the B.Ed. (Hons.). 19

29 BIBLIOGRAPHY Aly, Javed Hasan, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan (2006), White Paper on Education, Islamabad. Butt, Mahmood H. (2006) National Scheme of Studies, MoE, Islamabad. Butt, Mahmood H. (2008) A Report on the National Professional Standards for Teachers, UNESCO, Islamabad. Darling-Hammond, L. (2000) Journal of Teacher Education, Vol. 51, No. 3, Government of Pakistan National Education Policy (2009) Ministry of Education. Government of Pakistan Policy and Planning Wing, MoE (2008) National Professional Standards for Teachers. Government of Pakistan (2005) National Education Census Report, Islamabad. Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (2005). Pakistan Accreditation Council for Teacher Education Rules, Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (2006) National Curriculum Review Committee Report on B.Ed/ BS (Hons), Islamabad. National Accreditation Council of Teacher Education, Standards for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs in Pakistan, (2009). 20

30 APPENDIX A List of National Task Force (NTF) Members for Rationalization Study NTF Leader 1. Dr. Mahmood H. Butt, Leader of the Study/Vice Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad Sindh 1. Dr. Muhammad MemonThe Hamid-ud-din Al Kirmani Professor and Director Institute for Educational Development (IED), Aga Khan University, Karachi 2. Mr. Shakeel Farooqi, (Member of Provincial Advisory Group, Government of Sindh) Pre-STEP Coordinator, Karachi University 3. Ms. Raisa Adil Khan, (Member of Provincial Advisory Group, Government of Sindh) Deputy Program Manager, Education and Literacy Department, Karachi Balochistan 1. Mr. Javaid Iqbal Nasir, (Member of Provincial Steering Committee, Government of Balochistan) Director, Bureau of Curriculum Extension Centre, Quetta 2. Mr. Nazar Muhammad Kakar (Member of Provincial Advisory Group, Government of Balochistan) Associate Professor, Government College of Education, Quetta Punjab 1. Mr. Muhammad Aslam Kamboh, (Member of Provincial Steering Committee, Secretary of Education, Government of Punjab) Program Director, Directorate of Staff Development, Lahore 2. Dr. James Shafi, Professor Education Department, Forman Christian College, Lahore. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1. Mr. Fazal Mahmood, Chairman Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Mardan 2. Mr. Ghulam Mustafa, Ex-Director Primary Education, Peshawar 21

31 Gilgit/Baltistan 1. Dr. Moladad Shafa, (Member of Provincial Steering Committee, Gilgit & Baltistan) Director, Professional Development Centre, Northern Areas AJK 1. Dr. Syed Nisar Hussain Hamdani (Member of Provincial Steering Committee, AJK) Dean Faculty of Arts, University of AJK, Muzaffarabad 22

32 APPENDIX B List of Recommendations Submitted by Provinces and Areas Punjab 1. ADE should be considered equivalent to BA, B.Ed./BSc, B.Ed./ BS.Ed. for recruitment and other purposes. Recruitment policy should be amended so as to ensure recruitment of teachers doing ADE leading to B.Ed. (Hons.) by giving them preference over BA/BSc or simple B.Ed. candidates. Moreover, those who complete the 8 semester B.Ed. (Hons.) should become eligible for recruitment in grade 17 while the 6 semester ADE holder should become eligible for recruitment in grade 16. However, ADE holder shall not be eligible for taking admission in traditional MA/MSc programs unless he/she completes B.Ed (Hons.). 2. Those candidates, who complete the 6 semester ADE and then come back for remaining 36 credit hours of B.Ed. (Hons.), shall do so in Semester 7 and 8; and whosoever wants to do MA/MSc afterwards will require to do so by completing additional 2 semesters as per HEC policy and the concerned University's programs. 3. Existing multiple programs of teacher education which are being offered by different universities/colleges/ must be phased out by 2015 provided B.Ed. (Hons.) is initiated by nd 4. Eligibility requirement for ADE must be: 12 years of education; at least 2 division in arts/science. 5. Some entry point in the year three may be provided to those who wish to join B.Ed. nd (Hons.) after doing BA/BSc (at least 2 division). For this purpose, University Equivalence Committee shall determine eligibility and credit hours to be accepted; and any deficiency determined thereof shall be removed through required foundation courses. 6. Teaching practice should be a sequential and supervised activity. 7. Each university shall determine its own scheme of studies for the B.Ed. (Hons.) within the parameters defined by HEC. Gilgit/Baltistan 1. Teachers having 12 years of schooling (i.e. F.A, F. Sc., I.Com, I.C.S etc) should go through two years course to qualify for the ADE. The Curriculum Review Committee including technical experts should work on alignment of courses, so that the ADE course contents have compatibility and equivalency with initial two years of B.Ed. (Hons.). 2. Endorse HEC decision of four years education with 12 years of schooling to qualify for the B.Ed. (Hons.). 23

33 24 3. Design a year-long course for CT teachers to qualify for the ADE. 4. Teachers with 14 years of schooling should attend a 2-year course to quality for the B.Ed. (Hons.). 5. Design rigorous year-long courses for existing B.Ed. teachers to qualify for B.Ed. (Hons.). 6. Graduates of Diploma should attend a 6-month course to qualify for the ADE. 7. To provide the career ladder to teachers with B.Ed. (Hons.), such teachers should go through the 2-year course to qualify for M.Ed. (or M.S in Education). Likewise, the teachers with M.Ed (or M.S in Education) should be able to pursue 3-4 years study to qualify for the Ph. D in Education. 8. Treat the B.Ed. (Hons.) graduates as equal to M.A (BPS- 17). 9. Grade 14 to teachers having ADE, the status of ADE graduates should be treated as equal to B.A (or 14 years of schooling). 10. Advocacy initiatives to attract candidates to do B.Ed. (Hons.). 11. Scholarships for the B.Ed. (Hons.) and the ADE candidates. 12. Employ a comprehensive selection process to induct faculty for GCETs. 13. Start the ADE in 2011 replacing the current Diploma of 1 ½ years. 14. Stop the current one-year B.Ed. from Constitute two committees (namely the Curriculum Review Committee and HR and Grade/Scale Committee) to make technical recommendations to the Steering Committee. 16. Allocated more time to upgrade trainees' subject content knowledge and practice teaching. 17. Establish well equipped laboratories with internet access at GCETs. Campus-based as well as external professional development opportunities should be provided to faculty. 18. Merit, not the seniority, should be considered for faculty placement at Education Colleges. 19. On-the-job mentoring opportunities should be provided to faculty for their professional development. 20. Performance appraisals should be conducted as part of faculty development. 21. Professional training should be compulsory for faculty to teach at Elementary Colleges. 22. Scholarships should be given to all trainees or a transparent set of criteria should be employed to award scholarships. 23. Trainees with a variety of subject backgrounds should be selected for the course. 24. Ongoing professional support should be provided to course graduates. 25. DoE should address the building related issues on top priority basis. 26. Monitoring and supervision by the Department should ensure that trainees implement their learning in schools. 27. Better coordination and linkages should be developed between Education colleges

34 and the KIUs examination section. 28. An Academic Cell with necessary facilities (including transportation) should be established to address the academic-related issues such as follow-up of trainees. 29. Well-stocked libraries need to be established at Elementary Colleges to help teachers access reference materials. 30. There should be well equipped laboratories established at the Elementary Colleges. 31. Campus-based as well as external professional development opportunities should be provided to faculty. 32. It should be mandatory for Education Colleges to have the facility of internet. 33. Facilities such as computers should be provided to facilitate teaching and learning processes. Balochistan 1. Replace PTC, CT & Diploma in Education with Advanced Criteria Based, ADE (12+2) Program linked with B.Ed. (12+4) by Start entry with new set of eligibility requirements. 3. Formulate a Human Resource Service Policy for Elementary Teachers. 4. Launch awareness campaign on ADE transitional program. 5. Establish testing and selection mechanism based on merit. 6. GCETs/GCE/PITE/BOC physical, human & financial resource capacity identification by a separate Needs Assessment Survey. 7. Establish writers pool. 8. Data collection of existing PTC, CT & Diploma holders teachers. 9. Course development and simultaneous training program execution for the equalization of existing PTC, CT & diploma holders with new ADE program. 10. Strengthen and up-grade libraries and computer laboratories of training institutions. 11. Network and co- ordinate among training Institutions. 12. Enhance organizational operation cost. 13. Improve financial management system. 14. Develop Scheme of Studies for new program ADE. 15. Build capacity of teacher educators. 16. Reflect non-salary budget in the provincial PSDP. 17. Provide performance based scholarship for ADE. 18. Appreciate and engage donor support. 19. Rationalize mandatory role of PITE. 20. Rationalize and strengthen cadre of teacher education. 21. Review and revise of instructional resources. 25

35 26 Sindh 1. Make teaching profession more attractive and credible. 2. Offer a two-year Associate Degree Program (4 semesters). 3. Offer a four-year B.Ed. (Hons.) Program (8 semesters). 4. Develop minimum 120 credit hours for B.Ed. (Hons.) plus 12 credits hours for practicum and 60 credits hours for Associate Degree plus 6 credit hours for practicum. 5. Maintain alignment between Associate Degree and B.Ed. (Hons.). 6. Determine equivalence of Associate Degree. 7. Determine equivalence of existing PTC, CT, and B.Ed. courses. 8. Link teacher education courses with school context. 9. Schools be used for developing teachers' professional skills and understanding of their role as prospective teachers. 10. B.Ed. (Hons.) graduates should undertake small research projects and write reports. 11. Associate Degree graduates should undertake school based action research projects. 12. Strengthen schools' capacity for effective supervision of practicum. 13. Introduce learner-centered approach. 14. Introduce continuous assessment including portfolio assessment /selfassessment/peer assessment. 15. Introduce aptitude test for admission. 16. Maintain balance between theory and practice. 17. Introduce internship as part of practicum in schools. 18. Put emphasis on student teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. 19. Use teacher education standards to guide curriculum for ensuring quality. 20. Seek buy-in of the provincial education authorities. 21. Develop teacher educators and create career paths for teacher educators. 22. Develop leadership of teacher education institutions. 23. Engage faculty and students of teacher education institutions. 24. Develop professional networking among teacher educators. 25. Develop professional relationship between schools and teacher education institutions 26. Provide learning materials. 27. Revise salary structure of the graduates of Associate Degree (BPS-16) and B.Ed. (Hons.) (BPS-17). 28. Offer career paths and other incentives to join teaching profession. 29. Improve physical infrastructure by establishing / improving laboratories, libraries, internet facilities and other modern technologies. 30. Market new programs. 31. Work on strategies to improve professional qualifications of P.T.C, C.T, and B.Ed. teachers. 32. Affiliate GCETs with Universities.

36 AJK 1. Degree programs, diploma and short courses in terms of credit hours should be designed. 2. Integrating NEP 2009, NACTE, HEC and other standards. 3. Integrating contemporary curriculum (Such HEC B.Ed.-Hons.) with proposed values based curriculum and also covering social life skills as urged in NEP Integrating local context related courses in the scheme of studies. 5. Aligning and integrating short-courses and specialized support-courses with proposed degree/diploma programs. 6. Teachers' salaries, increments, awards and other incentives for different Degree /Diploma /Short courses under new Degree Programs, should be based on performance and skills. 7. A separate pay-package for education cadre should be proposed with preference in job, promotion, rewards, etc. 8. University of AJK shall approve a list of short courses preferably relating to most essential teaching skills including IT/micro teaching /communication skills English skills/child psychology etc. and credit hours shall be assigned to each course according to duration of course. Incentives such as TA/DA for short courses with boarding and lodging facilities, study leave, exposure trips, etc. shall be entitled on the basis of number of credits hours completed. 9. UAJK shall make efforts for an effective networking of institutions involved in Teacher's education option can be abolished gradually by end of transition period (2018) when 4- year program takes over fully. 11. Study leave rule once in life' should be replaced with total leave period i.e. 5 years or so. 12. Special allowance should be added to salary automatically to all in-service teachers who complete a prescribed number of credit hours of extra qualification unless other benefits (BPS-17) are not given. 13. Introduce at least some incentives for whole school/ college on the basis of their progress towards new standard implementation and should be in the form of cash for everyone in school at occasions. 14. On the basis of specific performance, special incentives should also be considered for management officials in education. 15. An equivalence committee of UAJK should be constituted. 16. Prepare Master Trainers for Standards' awareness. 17. Participation of Elementary Teachers in Board of Studies. 18. Principles should be given attractive incentives (TA/DA/books re-imbursement) for doing courses. 19. Only qualified teachers should be appointed in Teachers Training colleges. 20. Subject-wise teacher/students ratio should be assessed and subjects suffering from 27

37 28 shortage of teachers should be enriched. 21. How to use course should be made integral part of all equipment supplied. 22. Higher Basic Pay scales should be linked with degree or diploma whereas all other incentives should be linked with a Composite Productivity Index CPI) that tells the level of teacher's productivity enhanced during past few months/years regarding degree, diploma, short courses, publications, ACR, class-results, etc. 23. The scholarship that was promised for diploma candidates should be released. 24. The existing dichotomy between religious and secular curriculum should be minimized where possible. Both curriculum need to be re-drafted considering internationally standards. 25. Conduct survey of job opportunities/gaps/available skills/willingness to pay for further training. 26. As per decision of the Government of Pakistan, B.Ed. (Hons.)/B.Sc. Ed. (Hons.) degree holder shall be entitled to BPS-17 in AJK and this should be publicized widely to attract candidates to new program. 27. Where BPS-17 post is not available for the time being, B.Ed./BS.Ed. (Hons.) degree holders should be given at least BPS-12 plus 4 advance increments. 28. A Subject-wise criteria (or Groups wise subjects) shall be helpful to determine the percentage of score for such teachers may be awarded e.g. on account of their classresult during past three years. 29. Excellent Teacher Award and Best Teacher Award (Science & Arts) should be given on best performance. 30. Introduce Muslims Scientist Award for Science students Muslim Scholar Award' for Arts/ Social sciences in the name of different scholars having historical impact on the field of social sciences/humanities. 31. HEC or MoE should offer scholarships especially during transition period to teachers pursuing higher education or training in education as a subject. 32. Special management courses need to be developed and offered at least at provincial level (College of Education, IER, NIPA, etc) for principals, vice principals of public and private colleges of education. 33. The curriculum of elementary schools, colleges of education and universities should be integrated. 34. Teacher training as distant learning program should be either banned or improved by increasing number of workshops and holiday would face to face instruction by tutors. 35. At least during transition period, HEC, or Ministry of Education should grant special scholarships for diploma/degree courses. 36. Efforts should be made to obtain international scholarships/grants for promotion of teachers training in the country.

38 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1. 4 years B.Ed. courses should be started in all RITEs to provide teachers of the required qualification for attaining quality education year B.Ed. could be started immediately only in those RITES who have the sufficient staff and infrastructure to implement it. 3. Efforts will be made to build the capacity of other remaining RITES so that they can also start 4 year B.Ed. program. 4. For Degree awarding all the RITEs should be affiliated with university(s). OR One of the institutions fulfilling conditions for Degree Awarding Institution be upgraded and given the status of Degree Awarding Institution and all the RITEs should be affiliated with it as the entire set up will be directly associated with Education Department (E&SE) and they will be comparatively better placed to oversee and modify the program as per their requirements. 5. For the transitional period the 4 year Degree course be split up into two portions each consisting of two years. The first 2 years course will be named as Associate Degree in Education and will have a status of BA in Education. 6. The holders of this Associate degree will be eligible for appointment as 'Elementary School Teacher' replacing the present PTC and CT Teachers. 7. If any of them desires to continue education they will spend only two more years at any University/ selected RITES and get a 4 year B.Ed. (Hons.) degree. 8. Bridging training courses should be developed for the existing qualified PTC, CT and Diploma in Education (since 2006 till date) teachers to provide them opportunity for upgrading their qualification to become at par with 2 year Associate Degree in Education level. 9. The present incumbents who are working on PTC/CT posts and have attained the requisite qualification of B.Ed. should be given Elementary School Teacher's grade. 10. The proposed curriculum for Associate Degree in Education of 2 years - 16 courses have been proposed which includes 9 Core courses and 7 on method of teaching with a total 60 credit hours plus Teaching practice in each semester and Internship in the last semester. 11. Four subjects, Science, Math, Social Studies, and English have been proposed to be made compulsory for the new scheme of studies in first two years. This is with reference to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needs in schools and considering the conceptual level of intakes. 12. A separate cadre of Teachers' Educators has been proposed whose capacity is to be built. 13. Provision of teaching practice has been proposed in every semester and in the final semester practice of 40 lessons has been proposed in the new curriculum. 14. Professional Development Plan for teachers should be followed strictly and linked with the promotion 15. Nomenclature should be Elementary School Teacher instead of PTC and CT. 16. New Service Structure has been proposed and made further request for framing Service rules by the competent forum i.e. SCSR 29

39 Pre-STEP Pakistan website: P.O. Box No: 513, Islamabad. Pre-STEP Pre-Service Teacher Education Program in Pakistan