“Social media is a good platform to connect with students,” says Shafqat Mahmood

The Minister for Federal Education Shafqat Mahmood has said that he gained thousands of followers on Twitter in a short period and that social media is a good platform to connect with the students.

While speaking at the DMW session, minister expressed his views on the national education policy, Single National Curriculum, online exams, Ed tech and social media as a platform to connect with students.

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Answering to the query about restoration of student unions in the country, Mahmood said that “I am happy that we have developed some sort of a connection with students.”

He told the session that in past eight months he has gained 500,000 followers on Twitter, taking the total number of his following to 2.2 million.

Shafqat Mahmood had been very active on social media providing educational updated to students during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

“When I tweet, a lot of students see and read that and I think that is a good thing that a federal education minister of the country has a direct connection [with students]. I don’t think that any such thing has happened in recent history," he said.

The minister said that he often gets a good response from students, especially when he tweeted about his talks with Higher Education Commission regarding online exams during student’s protests against physical exams, “it was received well,” he said.

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Minister was also astounded to know that students are finding online exams easier than in-person exams recalling his open book exam in the US.

“Open books exams are not easy exams. If you give some conceptual questions with a time limit they are difficult to answer.”

However, he supported the idea of virtual exams and said that it should be the way if university can manage it well.