KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah on Monday stressed the need to reform the education system to meet emerging challenges, particularly those posed by artificial intelligence, saying that the role of teachers had become more crucial than ever.
He said that with the growing use of technology, the role of parents in the upbringing of children had become somewhat limited, which had further enhanced the responsibilities of teachers. “Today, teachers are imparting lessons that were once considered the sole responsibility of parents,” he observed.
The education minister was speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony organised by the Sindh Teachers Education Development Authority (STEDA) at the Scouts Auditorium in connection with World Teachers’ Day.
He said that the duty of a teacher was no longer confined to the four walls of a classroom. Teachers, he said, must also play their role in bringing children closer to nature and the environment.
“We have distanced children far from nature, so teachers should provide them opportunities to observe and understand their surroundings beyond the classroom,” he said, adding that work was underway to include relevant material in the curriculum.
Paying rich tribute to teachers, the education minister said that teachers were the pride of the nation and an asset whose value could never diminish.
He said that every day should be a day to honour teachers. “A teacher holds not just a book in his hand, but the future of an entire generation. Parents give birth to a human being, but it is the teacher who teaches him the art of living,” he added.
The education minister urged parents to inculcate respect for teachers in their children.
Earlier, STEDA distributed awards, shields and certificates among teachers and school heads showing outstanding performance in different categories.
In the Head Teachers Competition, 900 head teachers of government schools participated. They were evaluated on the basis of implementation of their proposed school development plans and the results achieved, with 89 head teachers receiving awards for outstanding performance.
The Best Teaching Practice Competition, launched in 2024, saw participation from 1,004 teachers from public and private schools. Teachers were asked to submit videos of their classroom teaching activities. Through a third-party assessment, 400 videos were shortlisted, and teachers of 100 videos securing over 70 marks were awarded shields.
For the first time, the ceremony also recognised 12 school heads who had made exemplary and effective use of the School Specific Budget (SSB) to improve and beautify their schools. They were given special performance awards.
The minister congratulated the award winners, noting that such encouragement would play a vital role in promoting positive and effective initiatives in the teaching profession.
Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2026
