Remembering Empowering TEACHERS 100 stories from dedicated teachers and grateful students Remembering Empowering TEACHERS 100 stories from dedicated teachers and grateful students UNESCO Islamabad 2009 Remembering Empowering Teachers 100 stories from dedicated teachers and grateful students Pages: 354 Copies: 2000 Languages: English & Urdu Collected by: Idara-e-Taleem-o-Agahi, Lahore. ©UNESCO 2009 Published by UNESCO Islamabad, Pakistan House #17, Street #8, Sector F-7/3 P.O. Box 2034 Islamabad, Pakistan Phone: +92 51 2611170-3 Fax: +92 51 2611175 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.un.org.pk/unesco Printed by: A.R Printers, Islamabad Ph: 4431797 Title design by: Sajid Aziz The authors are responsible for interpretation of data and information in this publication, and for the opinion expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO. PREFACE Teachers are seen as the primary catalyst for delivering quality education. They comprise the largest workforce in Pakistan, estimated at 1.5 million. Teachers are a crucial element in the achievement of the international education goals of Education for All (EFA) and of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The growing shortage of qualified teachers is the main challenge to the realization of these goals. Dissatisfaction with loss in status, low salaries, poor teaching and learning conditions, and lack of career progression or adequate professional training have driven large numbers of teachers out of the profession, sometimes after only a few years of service. However, despite the fact mentioned above there are a number of teachers in Pakistan who encourage students to learn and help them grow mentally and intellectually with strong commitments.