Punjab govt approves DSD proposals for teachers welfare package ISLAMABAD, Oct 04 (Online): The Punjab government has approved all recommendations forwarded by Directorate of Staff Development (DSD), Punjab, regarding teachers economic stability, provision of proper facilities, licensing and accreditation . Dr Rukhsana Zia, Director Programme DSD, disclosed this at a press conference on the eve of World Teacher\'s Day celebrated on October 5 every year . The DSD had recommended to the government to ameliorate the lot of teachers by offering them better salary packages along with other facilities so that they could fully concentrate on improving teaching standards in the province . She said that it was the first time in the history of the country that such recommendations with regard to quality teacher and quality education have been prepared. The government appreciating the DSD recommendations immediately approved the same, which shows the government\'s high level of seriousness regarding improving education standards in the province . To improve education standards, Dr Rukhsana Zia strongly proposed the licensing of teachers and their grading on the basis of qualifications and professional ability. They would get job only after getting license. She also called for introduction of a new exam system so that a reform process in education system can get effective . She said that besides professional training of teachers on modern lines the provision of all facilities to them is also equally necessary. \"The Directorate is fulfilling its assigned task of imparting professional training to teachers throughout the province. Other government institutions concerned should meet their responsibilities and lend support to DSD in its mission so that education standards in the province are improved . She said the Teacher\'s Day is celebrated in over 100 countries including Pakistan. The purpose of marking this Day is to highlight the role of teachers and make society realize that higher education target can be achieved only through professionally trained teachers . Dr Rukhsana Zia said that the title UNESCO has given to the World Teacher\'s Day this year is \"Quality education through quality teachers\" which also highlights the role and importance of the DSD as it focuses only on quality education through professionally trained qualified teachers . According to her, the challenge at present is not only the professional training to teachers but also to make the education sector attractive so that highly qualified people adopt it as a profession as it would help bring positive revolution in the province, she said . About the DSD activities, Dr Rukhsana Zia informed the media that the target of training 50,000 primary teachers in 12 districts of the province would be achieved by coming December . She added we have so far trained over 12,000 teachers including 578 District Teacher Educators and 11,500 primary school teachers by conducting workshops in various districts. Currently, about 67 Teacher Educators of different districts are under five-week training after which they would further train all primary teachers in their respective areas . She disclosed that the DSD has got printed 144,000 copies of Basic Training Module which would be distributed throughout the province for teachers training. The DSD would arrange spoken English classes on radio channels for teachers training for which pilot testing has been completed. In the first stage, these programmes would be conducted in Kasur, Sheikhupura, Gujrat and Narowal and after its success, these programmes would be aired throughout the province, she said . About the nominations of teachers training, Dr Rukhsana Zia said that the DSD is continuously nominating teacher trainers in the province. In the first stage, we have nominated about 1,404 teachers in 12 districts including Attock, Okara, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Kasur, Muzaffargarh, Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Sargodha and Sheikhupura, she informed the media . While in the second stage, 2,512 more teachers would be nominated in another 23 districts of the province, she informed the media. These areas include Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bakkhar, Chakwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Jhang, Jehlum, Khanewal, Khushab, Lahore, Layya, Lodhran, Multan, Nankana, Narowal, Pakpatan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh and Vehari . Explaining details of the nominations on district level, she said that the DSD will nominate six Lead Teacher Educators (LTEs), four Teacher Educators and about 100 District Teacher Educators (DTEs) in each district. The LTEs would be paid Rs 2,000 per week during training in addition to monthly salary, Teacher Educators will get Rs 6,000 monthly allowance along with salary, while DTEs (in BPS 16) will get Rs 4,500 along with salary, Dr Rukhsana said . According to her, these nominations would augur well in making the Chief Minister\'s \"Parha Likha Punjab\" programme a success . \"For teachers training, we have established 702 Cluster Training and Support Centers in 12 districts out of which 343 Cluster Centers and 34 District Training Support Centers are being provided with latest equipments,\" she said adding necessary equipments worth Rs. 369,200 would be purchased for each Cluster Center whose monthly expenditure would be Rs 34,500. Dr Rukhsana said that the foremost task of DSD is to improve education standards by giving professional training to teachers as this task is being given more importance in the education reform programme in the province . She said, on the eve of World Teacher\'s Day we should reiterate our commitment regarding revival of teachers\' dignity as well as social and economic welfare by addressing their genuine issues on priority basis . End.