High Commissioner Naeem Khan Urges Shift from Rote Learning to Creative, Practical Education
BY: Hurish Shah:
ISLAMABAD—President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Sardar Tahir Mehmood, has said that empowering teachers with modern teaching methodologies is an investment in Pakistan’s future, as educators are the architects of future generations. Addressing the concluding session of the Teachers’ Training Workshop on “21st Century Teaching Skills,” organized by ICCI in collaboration with SOS Foundation and EduTransform, he said that the era of Artificial Intelligence, digital transformation and global connectivity demands a modern education system aligned with emerging global trends. He emphasized that economic progress and educational excellence go hand in hand, adding that ICCI has broadened its role beyond business advocacy by promoting education, youth development, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and academia industry collaboration. He said the Chamber’s growing partnerships with China, Africa and the Middle East, along with its focus on skills development and the digital economy, reflect its commitment to building a knowledge driven and prosperous Pakistan.Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, H.E. Naeem Khan, said quality education must be driven by originality, innovation and effective communication. He urged teachers to inspire students to think creatively, conduct original research and adopt practical learning approaches instead of relying on rote methods. Sharing his international academic experience, he highlighted the effectiveness of direct teaching methods and invited Pakistani universities to strengthen academic collaboration with Rwanda through student and faculty exchange programmes. He also proposed a Public Private Academic Partnership (PPAP) model to connect academia, government and industry for innovation, entrepreneurship and research commercialization.Earlier, Dr. Abdus Salam, Convener, ICCI Standing Committee on Education and CEO SOS Foundation, said the workshop aimed to equip educators with modern pedagogical skills to meet the demands of 21st century classrooms. He added that in collaboration with the Chamber they would continue to convene such significant workshops for the benefits of the teaches in future also. Dr. Aneela Malik, CEO EduTransform and Vice Chairperson of the ICCI Standing Committee on Education, shared practical insights on innovative teaching strategies and educational leadership in the most effective and impressive manners. The Participants from public and private sectors appreciated ICCI, SOS Foundation and EduTransform for organizing the workshop and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting excellence in education through stronger collaboration between academia and industry.The ICCI Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, Executive members Waseem Chaudhry, Zulqurnain Abbasi, Imran Minhas and ICCI members in large number also attended the session.
