In a historic event at the Federal Government College for Girls F-7/2, the National Institute of Excellence in Teacher Education (NIETE) and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training celebrated Pakistan's educators with a Teacher Award Ceremony titled ‘Ustaad se Ustaad-e-Mohtaram ka safar’. The goal for the ceremony was to recognize exceptional teachers and elevate their status to that of national heroes. Federal Minister for Education, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, led an oath-taking ceremony, urging teachers to "believe in children's capabilities and make them learn without force." He emphasized the urgent need for educational reform, highlighting the country's alarming literacy rate and the millions of children out of school. "Teachers are honorable and respectable, and their role is crucial in shaping the nation," he said. Siddiqui expressed hope that Islamabad could lead the nation in education with the teachers' support. Dr. Siddiqui said that the purpose was not just to make Pakistan but Pakistan was made for a higher purpose. He lamented that there are more than 2 crore children out of school. He said that a majority of the children in the school are unable to read a simple sentence until they are 10 years old. He said that we face a situation akin to emergency and the response to it should be akin to that of the crisis of the highest order. Dr. Khalid said that the first and foremost responsibility lies with the state and the government of Pakistan to lead the nation towards a successful solution. Minister said that teachers have the capability to change the future of a nation. He appreciated the proactive role of Secretary Education Mr. Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani. He said that for the first time the federation has moved from the role of just policy making to execution as well. He said that under the current command of Secretary Wani the federation will be not just be able to provide adequate policies but also programmes that have been successfully tested in the federal capital. Federal Secretary for Education, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, echoed the Minister's words, emphasizing the federal government's responsibility to share knowledge with provincial governments. He announced a 50% honorarium on basic salary for all teachers who were selected for this award. Mr. Wani said that under the leadership of Dr. Khalid Maqbool the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has developed the capacity to take along the entire Pakistan from Karachi to Khyber on its journey of educating the entire country. He said that the federal government has developed the ability to execute, test and then pass on successful policies and programmes to the rest of the Pakistan. He said that the Education Ministry along with its partners is going to positively change the landscape of education in Pakistan. The event and teacher selection process was led by NIETE, the flagship initiative set up by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional training. Its mandate is to train and certify teachers, equipping them with tools to deploy 21st century teaching strategies and improving their students’ learning. NIETE certifies, trains, and supports teachers digitally, making it inherently scalable. It is operated by Taleemabad, Pakistan’s largest education technology company. This landmark event celebrated the achievements of educators and underscored the collective responsibility to support the teaching community, as the nation rallies behind its teachers to transform Pakistan's educational landscape.
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