Ziauddin School and College organized an engaging ZED Talk at their newly established campus, creating a dynamic platform that seamlessly blended motivational speaking with humor and creativity.

The purpose of the event was to empower students to share impactful stories, deliver meaningful messages, and inspire audiences in a refreshing and engaging manner.

This inter-school event also featured a speech competition aimed at fostering confidence and communication skills among students.

Dr. Asim Hussain, Chancellor of Ziauddin University, addressed the audience and emphasized the critical need for teacher education, stating, “We still have a long way to go in enhancing teacher education.

Teachers must be trained not only to impart academic values but, more importantly, the moral values that our country desperately needs and is, unfortunately, losing rapidly.”

Speaking to the media, he also stressed that school timings should extend from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., eliminating the need for students to attend coaching or tuition centers.

The Chief Guest, Carl P. Lander, Chair of the Board at Cambridge International Education and Principal-CEO of Karachi Grammar School, shared his vision for the future of education.

He remarked, “Education today is no longer about memorizing formulas because AI has revolutionized the way we access and process knowledge. We are at the crossroads of a major transformation in education.

The future will not focus on rote learning but on collaborative working and skill-building. The experiences and skills you are gaining today will remain with you for a lifetime.

I hope you take full advantage of them.”Rana Hussain, Director of Ziauddin School and College, while speaking to the media, stated, “The primary aim of this event was to help students overcome their hesitation in public speaking and boost their confidence.

We emphasized that language should not be a barrier, allowing speeches in both English and Urdu.

However, every speech was delivered in English. This raises an important concern: can we truly express our emotions and thoughts effectively in a language that feels distant from our roots”.

The principal of the school, Humera Jawed shared the aim of the event to the media. She remarked, “We received around 60-70 entries, out of which 34 were selected. Our aim is to carry forward Dr. Asim's vision, which inspired us to organize this event.

We specifically designed it for those students who are often backbenchers and fear public speaking, to help them overcome their fears”.

The winners of the speech competition were celebrated in two categories. In Category A, Jannat Abdul Rahim from Sultan Mahmood Shah Aga Khan School secured the first position, Ayat Abdul Rahim from the same school won second place, and Disha Kumari from Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan School stood third.

In Category B, Syed Shafay Ashraf from Little Folks School clinched the top spot, followed by Zara Faisal, also from Little Folks School, in second place, and Fatima Haroon from Ziauddin College of Education in third.The esteemed judges of the competition were Mohsin Tejani, Founder and Executive Director of The School of Writing, and Fariha Khalil, an experienced instructor.

The ZED Talk also featured a short tribute highlighting the educational contributions of Dr. Asim Hussain. Key attendees included Prof. Dr. Nida Hussain, CEO, Ziauddin School and College; Ms. Rana Hussain, Rafiah Javed Mallah, Director of Private Institutions Sindh; Arsalan Ahmed, Principal of Ziauddin College; and Humaira Jawad, Principal of Ziauddin School. The participation of students from various Cambridge schools added vibrancy to this motivational and inspirational gathering.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 19 2024

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