Zafran Shah Babar :
Press Release:
Quetta – A historic day for education in Balochistan as the Online Academy for teachers was officially launched. Speaker Raheela Hamid Durrani, speaking at the seminar, emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the education system across the province.
The government has reopened 3,000 schools and recruited 11,000 teachers who are actively serving to strengthen the educational framework. Under the guidance of Minister Ali, efforts are underway to eliminate ghost schools and ghost teachers, a persistent challenge in the province.
Raheela Durrani acknowledged the crucial role of teachers, describing them as the backbone of the education system. She stated that without the dedication of teachers, educational reform is impossible. The province’s education policies are regularly reviewed to ensure continuous improvement.
The Online Academy Portal marks a revolutionary step in the education sector, providing training to 50,000 teachers online under the Virtual Learning Academy initiative. This project, supported by UNICEF, the European Union, and the provincial government, aims to enhance the skills and capacity of educators.
Recent initiatives have enrolled 200,000 out-of-school children, but challenges remain as 2.9 million children are still not attending school, with studies showing that 80% have never enrolled. Several projects are underway to increase school enrollment rates, along with the introduction of school bus services to facilitate access.
Women teachers have welcomed the online training program, expressing confidence it will further develop their professional abilities. Experts agree that this program will significantly improve the quality of education in Balochistan.
Speaker Raheela Durrani hailed the Online Academy as a transformative development toward modernizing the provincial education system and thanked the Education Department, UNICEF, and partner organizations for their continuous support and collaboration.
