Notre Dame Institute of Education

The Notre Dame Institute of Education (NDIE) in Karachi, is a teacher education facility in Pakistan.

History

NDIE opened in 1991 with 17 students in the Bachelor of Education programme. Average annual enrolments in the Bachelor of Education course are 55, with 30 in the Masters of Education. The only Catholic tertiary institution in Pakistan, NDIE is located on the campus of Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi.

NDIE is the brainchild of Bishop Anthony Theodore Lobo. Keen to bring change to the Pakistani education system, in 1988 he went to Australia to seek help. A visit to Pakistan by Sr. Deirdre Jordan rsm, Chancellor of the Flinders University, Australia, further progressed the work of change and teacher education. She undertook to recruit Australian staff for a small venture by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan which became the NDIE. NDIE has a local Board of Governors who take responsibility for the direction of the Institute.^[1]

The majority of its students are women. Students are introduced to a new approach to learning at NDIE, methods that are taken from Australian schools. NDIE graduates now work at institutions such as the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development.^[2]

Collaboration

Since 1993 the Australian Catholic University has had a partnership with the Notre Dame Institute for accreditation of the International Certificate of Education and Master of Education programs.^[1]

In 2006 the Intel Teach Program was introduced by the Intel Corporation to incorporate the effective use of technology in education.^[3]

In 2008, the Mercy Sisters of Australia supported the development of NDIE’s library. It contains about 30,000 volumes although some are outdated. The original library came from the Australian Catholic University and Mercy schools across Victoria. It caters mainly for teacher education students and NDIE lecturers and teachers but also for teachers from surrounding schools. It is the only library of its kind in Karachi.

Outreach

NDIE also supports an education project in Baldia Town, Karachi, among a minority group of Hindu peasants. Because of their low status the children are not accepted in government schools. The Notre Dame Institute of Education provides two schools for children of various castes, creeds and cultures. The project has helped to employ teachers and build up teaching resources, text books and library books for the schools in Baldia Town.^[4] it has its web site www.ndie.edu.pk

NDIE also collaborates with the Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, to train teachers from all over Pakistan so that they can teach English, mathematics, and science.^[5]

Development and Progress

Sister Margaret Madden who has been working in Pakistan since 1995 teaches educational psychology, curriculum studies to the bachelors and masters levels as well as coordinating and designing the masters in Education programme.^[6] She was the director of the Notre Dame Institute in 2001-2011. ^[7]

She has supervised the passing of hundreds of students in bachelors in Education/International graduate certificate in Education as well as 93 masters in Education graduates. In 2011 she launched a new programme for experienced educators, a masters in Educational Leadership. A new director of NDIE Ms Audrey Juma took over when Sister Margaret Madden returned to Australia in 2011. ^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Australian Catholic University Accessed 7 November 2010
2. ^ "Institute for Educational Development". http://www.aku.edu.pk/ied/people/sir.shtml. 
3. ^ Intel Teach Program
4. ^ "Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia". http://www.mercy.org.au/mercyworks/default.cfm?loadref=220. 
5. ^ "The News, November 23, 2008". http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=148358. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Dawn, July 17, 2011
7. ^ The Catholic Leader 20 December 2009