Our teachers are our role models. Read about a teacher who has inspired millions of educators and teacher in Pakistan.
Professor Anita Ghulam Ali is an icon for educators and teachers of Pakistan. Microbiologist and a much adored teacher, she is well known for her belief in active citizenship. In the field of education, she urges citizens to rise to the challenges of leadership for quality learning in Pakistan. No task is too big or too small for her when it comes to serving humanity.
As a microbiologist,she taught from 1961 to 1989 at the Singh Muslim College, Karachi. She is remembered as a teacher who could motivate her students to enquiry,excellence, and practical expression.
She is a champion for quality education, daring to question existing learning traditions. She is also a caring humanist without discrimination to gender, caste,religion, and class.
She is a full of hope for the future of education in Pakistan. She says, 'We are inspired to continue to work with dedication.There is growing understanding now that we must work closely with the community to achieve our goals.'
Professor Anita has been known to be a high achiever, costantly striving for pathways of action. She has served many important posts, such as: President, Pakistan College Teacher's Association; Sindh Minister for Education for two terms; and represented Pakistan at many international formus such as the IN conference at Jomtien and Dakar. At present, she is the Managing Director of the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF).
She also believes everyone has the ability to do something great. 'I have so much faith in every person's potential to do something meaningful. If you think something has failed, put it aside and go for it again. Perhaps the most basic and important is to enjoy one's work, take pleasure in achievements big or small, and face problems head on.'
As a teacher and citizen, Professor Anita is a living legend in our country. She is perceived as Pakistan's most inspiring teacher, committed to the ideas of progress, excellence, and honesty. Her living legacy is her 100,000 plus students working in various fields across the country and the globe. They pay homage to her on a daily basis for touching their lives in many ways.
Such is the power of a good teacher who sees her profession as a means of social and national transformation. Through education, she wants to bring about a change in the thinking of the youth.She hopes to create awarness about various global issues, which are necessary to create responsible citizens. Her biggest hope is to encourage the economically, politically, and socially privileged people of country to come forward and help the disadvantaged people.
ProfessorAnita is the recipient of various national awards such as the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2004), a Presidential Pride of Performance (1999), and the Benazir Women Excellence Award (2009). Adedicated award has been initiated in her name: the Anita Ghulam Ali World Teacher's Day Awards. The Anita Ghulam Ali World Teacher's Day Award carries the message of courage, quality education, and integrity for all the teachers in Pakistan.