Prospective Teachers’ Perspective Regarding a New Teachers’ Development Program in Two of the Government Colleges of Education in Gilgit-Baltistan

Abstract

In order to address the gaps of traditional teachers’ development programs, the government of Pakistan, with the financial support of United States’ Aids for International Development, (USAID) launched a new teachers’ preparation program called Advance Diploma in Education. While collecting data, this study particularly sought the opinions of those prospective teachers who had completed their programs. Therefore, the study focused on matters such as the availability of teaching positions, pay scales, the curriculum of the ADE program, teaching approaches and the availability of instructional resources. It was noted that there was recognition among the students and instructors about the productivity and the usefulness of the new ADE program. Additionally, there was an acknowledgment that a new generation of teachers is being produced through the ADE program that will really change the dynamics of classrooms in Pakistan. However, it seemed that a number of issues, such as limited employment opportunities for ADE graduates, lack of coherent recruitment policies, and the continuation of the traditional program, were some of the primary concerns of both the students and instructors.