LAHORE: (Tuesday, November 15, 2022): Former Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University Professor Dr Zaffar Moeen Nasar has said that an education system which overcomes poverty, inflation, unemployment, terrorism, political and economic instability and address modern requirements of the relevant fields is one of the most important needs of the hour.

He was addressing the opening ceremony of the tenth three-day international conference on research in education (ICORE-22) organized by Punjab University Institute of Education and Research. On this occasion, Director Institute of Education and Research Prof Dr Rafaqat Ali Akbar, Conference Secretary Prof Dr Muhammad Shahid Farooq, researchers, educationists, social scientists from Pakistan and other countries, faculty members and a large number of students were present. The VC from Kohsar University Murree Prof Dr Habib Ali Bukhari, Prof Dr Timothy from University of Alaska USA, Prof Dr James from Texas International University USA and Dr Hussaina Banu from University of Malaya, Malaysia spoke online. In his address, Dr Zaffar Moeen said that the educationists should work on new ideas in view of changing demands. He said lauded the efforts of the IER to organize such conference. Dr Habib Bukhari said that development of the society is not possible without promoting the culture of education and research. He said that there is a need to work together to deal with challenges like increasing population, climate change, COVID and floods.
Dr Rafaqat while welcoming the participants said that such conferences provided an opportunity for researchers, professionals, teachers and students to learn from each other’s experience. He hoped that the conference would provide recommendations to eradicate the problems faced by the education system. He said that the education system of the whole world is changing according to modern trends. He said that more steps were needed for the promotion of virtual and distance education in Pakistan as well. Speaking online, Dr Timothy highlighted the challenges in teacher retention and professional development through graduate studies and experiential learning in a school university partnership. Dr James gave a lively discussion on transforming educational preparation programs for the needs of the 21st century. Dr Hussaina Banu while expressing her views on teaching, challenges and future in the post-Covid era and said that several governments had continued the process of teaching and learning by adopting different strategies.