Honouring Esteemed Educators: A Call for Titles Implementation
Teachers are one of the most important profession in any society. They nurture the future generation and shape the direction for the future of the nation. However, in our country, we hardly acknowledge their contribution. This write up from Lt Col Abrar Khan (Retd) is being shared to raise awareness and initiate a concerted dialogue in this regards.
Honouring Esteemed Educators: A Call for Titles Implementation
I am a retired military officer and I continue to use my rank when introducing myself, even after my nearly three decades of service in the Armed Forces. Many of my classmates have become doctors or engineers, while others have advanced in the corporate sector to positions such as General Manager, Senior General Manager, or CEO. Their titles reflect their qualifications and dedication to their respective fields.
My journey in the Pakistan Armed Forces, along with my friends' paths to becoming doctors, engineers, police officers and CEOs, can be attributed to the education we received at our alma mater. We owe our success to our dedicated teachers, who, despite often being addressed simply as "Sir" or "Madam," deserve recognition for their lifelong commitment to shaping countless professionals throughout their careers.
Today, I intend to share my thoughts on this matter and urge relevant authorities to establish a policy that acknowledges the importance of teachers in our society by introducing formal titles for them. Just as doctors, engineers, professors, general managers, CEOs, police officers and military personnel undergo specific training to earn their titles, teachers should also meet certain qualifications and complete relevant courses to attain their titles. While I can only suggest this idea, I encourage educational experts to elaborate on the details.
Here are my recommendations:
- A teacher with a minimum qualification of a degree should be eligible to become an accredited teacher.
- Candidates must possess at least two years of teaching experience.
- To attain a teaching title, candidates should achieve a minimum score of 70% on a relevant examination.
- An organization under the Ministry of Education (MoE) or the Higher Education Commission (HEC) should be established to conduct examinations and issue teaching certificates.
- Various titles should be available based on service experience and qualifications.
I propose the following titles to honour teaching staff, which can be further categorised by relevant authorities to reflect varying degrees of recognition and responsibility:
Basic or Montessori Level - Montessori Diploma Holder
- Junior Co-Director/Directress (JCD)
- Senior Co-Director/Directress (SCD)
- Junior Director/Directress (JD)
- Senior Director/Directress (SD)
- Master Director/Directress (MD):
- Executive Director/ Directress (ED)
Intermediate Level - Bachelor's to Master's Degree or Equivalent
- Junior Instructor (JI)
- Senior Instructor (SI)
- Master Instructor (MI)
- Executive Instructor (EI)
Advanced Level for PhD Holders
- Senior Educator (SE)
- Master Educator (ME)
- Executive Educator (EE)
These titles could instill a sense of honour and respect for the teaching profession, similar to the recognition afforded to other professions, including doctors, engineers, police officers and military personnel. Careful consideration should also be given to the criteria for earning these titles, ensuring they reflect commitment, excellence and service in education.
Worthy readers, especially educators, I welcome your feedback for further improvement and new ideas.
✍️: Lt Col Abrar Khan (Retd)
📧: khanabrar30c@gmail.com
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The readers are requested to offer sincere comments and suggest other options as well.
