HEC Chair stresses on undeniable role of English for accessing higher education and employment opportunities

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The inaugural session of a two-day Seminar on ‘English Language and Empowerment in the Developing World' was held on June 9, 2007 at Aga Khan University (AKU). Dr David Taylor, Acting Provost AKU read out the message on behalf of Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman Higher Education Commission: “The rapid spread of English language has serious implications for all the developing countries, including Pakistan . There is an urgent need for training teachers, especially from the public sector schools, colleges and universities in the latest English language teaching approaches and methodologies.” Dr Atta-ur-Rahman stressed that “the role of English for access to higher education and employment opportunities is undeniable” and conveyed the government's commitment to developing effective and relevant English language programmes to support students with limited English proficiency on the basis of access and equity. The seminar, the fourth such event held since 2001, was organised by AKU's Centre for English Language (CEL) and participants included prominent English Language Teaching (ELT) experts and educationists from Pakistan , India , UAE and UK .

In his welcome address, AKU President , Mr Firoz Rasul, reflected on the importance of English in multilingual and multicultural societies. He said that this seminar has been organised as a focal event to help generate wide-ranging discussions on the issues and challenges facing the role of English across the country.” Acknowledging CEL's contribution to English language teaching at national level through the training of public and private sector college and university teachers, President Rasul expressed the need for conducting research and developing materials within local socio-cultural contexts.

Keynote speaker Dr Edith M. Esch from the University of Cambridge highlighted the ways in which teachers' reflective practices can help them develop professionally and enable them to build their learners' capacity for learning not only English but other languages as well.

Chair of CEL seminar, Ms Nasreen Hussain, informed that eminent presenters during the next two days would deliberate on the idea of how teachers in general and English-language teachers in particular could be empowered in the course of their teaching experiences. This could be achieved by affecting change in the context of relationships and inquiry, professional culture, empowering learners and reflecting critically in dialogue with diverse and sometimes competing perspectives.  She informed that proceedings of the first seminar have been published in a book entitled ‘Language Policy Planning and Practice' and the second seminar's proceedings would be published early next year.

As a part of its social responsibility and commitment to the advancement of health research and education, AKU regularly holds seminars, symposiums and events to raise awareness about health and education related issues which are of national importance.

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