HEC Aspires to See Teachers as Mentors and Guides – Prof. Dr. Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani

WNAM REPORT: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) envisions the teacher not merely as a transmitter of knowledge, but as a mentor and guide. HEC aims to foster an academic environment in universities that produces graduates who possess not only academic excellence but also high moral values and character.
These views were expressed by Professor Dr. Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani, HEC Consultant for Quality Assurance while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the two-day international conference titled “Quality Teacher Education”, organized by Allama Iqbal Open University as the chief guest.
He emphasized that in order to prepare quality teachers, a strong, cohesive, and sustainable training system is essential. Setting national standards for teacher education has become a vital need of the hour. He added that this responsibility does not lie with any one institution alone, but should be a joint mission of all stakeholders—including federal and provincial governments, the private sector, and educational institutions.
Dr. Gilani further stated that HEC will continue to provide strong cooperation and full support to all relevant institutions and stakeholders, including the National Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (NACTE), for the development and improvement of teacher education programs, so that a new era of quality teaching in Pakistan can begin.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Chairman of the Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, Vice-Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University and Rector of Virtual University—said that high-profile teachers, stakeholders, and policymakers are participating in this two-day conference. There will be detailed discussions on current challenges and available opportunities in teacher education.
He stated that the conference will consider teacher licensing, training standards, and a clear roadmap for future teacher education, which will provide effective guidance to relevant institutions including NACTE.
The Department of Secondary Teacher Education at Allama Iqbal Open University, in collaboration with HEC, NACTE, and other partner institutions, organized this international conference. Its aim is to improve the standards of professional teacher training and find solutions to the challenges facing the teaching profession.
Educational experts, policymakers, teachers, researchers, and students from Pakistan and various other countries participated in the conference. The speakers emphasized that teacher training is the foundation of quality education, and highlighted the importance of teacher licensing, modern training models, and research-based teaching.
International experts shed light on successful global education models that can be adopted in Pakistan. Keynote speakers in the opening session included Professor Dr. Muhammad Firat (Turkey), Professor Emeritus Dr. Munawar Sultana from Punjab University, and Dr. Shamsa Jabeen, Secretary of NACTE.
Dr. Naveed Sultana elaborated on the objectives of the conference, while Dr. Tooba Saleem effectively performed the duties of stage secretary.
The conference will feature sessions, workshops, and panel discussions, and a declaration based on recommendations will be presented to policymakers at the end.