Expert opinion on the education upgrade in Pakistan. An interview with Dr. Asiya Saif Alvi — a dynamic young political analyst
Profile:
Dr. Asiya Saif Alvi is a dynamic young political analyst from Lahore. After finishing her school and college education, she went to Islamabad for a Master’s from Quaid-e-Azam University. After doing her Master, she joined a local college in Lahore to teach. Simultaneously, she got admission to Government College Lahore for her MPhil in the political science department.
Meanwhile, she quit her job at college and started working at the Virtual University of Pakistan in 2009. After doing her MPhil, she got enrolled in the PhD program at the University of Punjab. While doing her PhD, she worked as a Lecturer in the UET Taxila for one year in 2012 and then moved to Lahore College of Women University. After six months, she got selected as an assistant professor in the Department of Politics and IR at the University of Sargodha in 2013. At the University of Sargodha, she has attended more than a dozen National and International conferences.
The University of Sargodha, where she is serving at present, sent her to China in 2017 for a teaching diploma. She has written more than a dozen research articles in Pakistan’s renowned journals.
PAGE: How was 2022 for academic research and activities?
Dr. Asiya Saif Alvi:Â I think it must have been pretty well, as the number of PhDs increases every year in Pakistan.
PAGE: What is your take on the technological aspect of imparting education?
Dr. Asiya Saif Alvi:Â I think technology plays a seminal role in imparting quality education. Never has it been this easy to access the sea of knowledge, as it is now. This has become possible just because of technological advancements.
PAGE: Could you tell us about your standpoint on the promotion of education in Pakistan?
Dr. Asiya Saif Alvi: My standpoint for the promotion of education in Pakistan is to ensure good governance and political stability first. Bad governance and political instability lead to two major ills i.e. corruption and unemployment. These two ills kill all the enthusiasm among mass to get an education, and a breed of blithering “Azaad Chai Walaas” takes birth — a breed that loathes formal education. Moreover, a skill-based education system is needed in Pakistan.
PAGE: Could you tell us about the Academia-Industry liaison?
Dr. Asiya Saif Alvi:Â All developed countries have strict Academia-industry liaison. The industrial sector takes guidelines and opinions from researchers and academicians before launching any mega projects. Not only is it mutually helpful for both, but it also minimizes industrial misadventures.