July 23, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 22: The government’s Central Development Working Party has approved a scheme “Foreign faculty hiring programme” that was put forward by the Higher Education Commission.

According to a press release issued here on Tuesday, the scheme, which would be completed in five years, aims at overcoming the shortage of qualified faculty in Pakistan under a phased programme and hiring of faculty members from overseas for deputation in accredited degree-awarding institutions.

The scheme will help in equipping the students of bachelors, masters and PhD programmes with quality education.

Under the project, 300 foreign professors, associate professors and assistant professors will be hired annually for a period of five years.

The visiting academicians will educate and train newly- inducted scholars and generate a new base of trained educators on a par with international standards.

Meanwhile, the HEC has formed a National Committee on English (NCE) and nominated renowned experts working in various public and private-sector universities as its members.

The objectives of the NCE included development of a framework for improvement of the standard of English language in higher education sector. The committee will also suggest measures for improvement of teaching facilities in the universities.

The NCE will also develop an action plan to enable successful implementation of the recommendations made by all the stakeholders including students, teachers, administration and policy-planners. Consequently, the committee will recommend a follow-up plan to study the impact of the implementation of the recommendations.

The issues to be tackled by the NCE include curriculum design, textbook development, needs analysis, proficiency and motivation of the students as well as development and proficiency in teachers’ training. It will also produce research, evaluation and online programmes to be conducted by the universities. Prof Zakia Sarwar is the chairperson of the NCE while Zahra Ali, the HEC consultant, will be the committee’s secretary/coordinator.