Seminar highlighting importance of detabase in modern age held
Adnan rafique

ISLAMABAD—The establishment of comprehensive database for information system is crucial for all ministries, departments and organizations in order to provide information about their conditions, functioning and results.
While explaining the importance of National Education Census to the educationists of various organizations and institutions Dr. Pervez Aslam Shami, Director General, Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPM) highlighted the importance of data base. He added that without proper information, no system can function realistically nor can knowledgeable-decisions be made. An education system cannot be exempted from this rule.
The education system requires information about its inputs, processes and outputs. It also needs a proper feedback and flow of information. Shami said that the government, ministry of education in collaboration with Statistics Division has launched the National Education Census from November 22 covering all categories of educational institutions in the country. The federal minister for education inaugurated the launching ceremony of census in Islamabad.
The census intends to collect data and information from all public and private schools, vocational and technical institutions, deeni madaris, universities both public and private, all types of professional institutions. The ministry of education has entrusted this task to AEPM which made all the necessary preparation for this national task. Dr Shami explained that an inability to quantify the coverage provided by public and private institutions during previous decades, has undermined the ability of ministry of education to plan additional opportunities, assure the quality of education and to take measures to fulfill national and other international commitments.
The Ministry of Education is striving hard to streamline its functioning through establishing a National Data Bank on Education for informed decision-making about the state of education sector, its policies and plans, its internal and external efficiency, its pedagogical and instructional operations, its performance, shortcomings and needs. The National Education Census has been initiated through out the country which will help to provide information for diagnosis of current situation to identify issues and challenges, for setting priorities, formulation of policies and plans, resource allocation and to monitor their implementation by the education planners, managers and decision makers.
In recent human development index ranking Pakistan stands at 135th position in the world. National Education Census will facilitate to improve our position in the world ranking and also fulfill other international commitments. To ensure the success of census is a national task. The ministry of education alone cannot accomplish the target therefore, Shami requested that every citizen should shares the responsibility, particularly those who are managing or running different types of institutions. Their cooperation is essentially required to ensure the fruits of government efforts for the welfare of public.