Speaking at a pre-departure ceremony for Pakistani educators here today, organised by Idara-e-Teleem-Agahi (ITA), Pakistan, here, the diplomat said, “Only if we understand each other better, and tReat each other with tolerance and mutual respect, the world would become the place that we all truly desire and aim for,” told the workshop.

“You have a unique opportunity not only to enrich yourselves with this experience but also to be ambassadors for your country in the United States,” added Ms, Jones.

Twenty educators comprising secondary-level teachers, head teachers and trainers from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), North Western Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, Islamabad, and Sindh are participating in the four-week Pakistani educators leadership Institute (PELI) program at Plymouth State University, New Hampshire.

The American diplomat said that 100 teachers trained under this program have potential to benefit more than 10,000 students per year.

“This program has helped them not only in their professional development but also broadened their personal view about our culture, our people, and our diversity,” Ms. Jones remarked.

Highlighting the “unique opportunity” to inspire the minds of young students: the Cultural, Attache called upon the teachers to expose their students to various viewpoints and facts so that they may arrive at informed conclusions.

Besides Constance Jones, Zaeem Chaudhry, Joint Educational Advisor from Ministry of Education and Dr. Haroona Jatoi, Director General Academy of Education Planning and Management (AEPAM), also addressed the gathering. 

Orientation kits and air tickets to the 20 successful participants who will be departing for a four-week-long training program at the Plymouth state University, NH USA on June 28, 2008.

The day-long pre-departure orientation session was organized for 20 educators from FATA, NWFP, AJK, Punjab, ICT, and Sindh.

The Pakistan Education Leadership Institute (PELI) Program has been launched in collaboration between Plymouth State University, USA and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi and School Improvement Network Pakistan.

The program has been funded by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchange since 2004.

The ITA has been facilitating the Summer Institute since 2004 for subject secondary level specialist teachers, educational managers, researchers and administrators from Pakistan. 

Altogether 100 secondary level teachers/educators from across all locations in Pakistan FATA and AJ&K have participated in this modest professional development program targeted at secondary level educators.

The positive outcomes of the Institutes convinced the U.S.  Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, to extend the program with a new grant entitled “Active and responsible citizenship through education in cultural heritage preservation and environmental stewardship”.

These areas of focus will be embedded in the subjects of language, science and environment which are extremely pertinent for the educational and democratic challenges faced by Pakistan at present.

The 2008 program entails both out of country training and in-country application of the skills learnt during the post training phase in Pakistan.

The speakers including Professor Hafiz Mohammad Iqbal, Chairman of IER Punjab University, Professor Zafar Iqbal, Dean Education at AIOU and Professor Khurshid Talat principal Federal College of Education stressed the importance of cultural diversity and heritage for Pakistan as it enters into a new phase of people’s democracy in which students need to learn skills of active citizenship. 

The teachers are going to be the most critical change agents who will help students to value heritage, the layers of civilizations that the land of Pakistan is home too and the appreciate the value of cross cultural exchange across continents and countries.

Mr. Zaeem Chaudhry, on behalf of the Ministry of Education thanked ITA for helping the Government of Pakistan to achieve its goals for quality education in these challenging times.

Baela Raza Jamil, Chairperson ITA and Beena Raza Coordinator SINP and PELI thanked all the participants for their collaboration and commitment to Quality Education For All and becoming ambassadors of change and  dynamic members  of a movement of teachers without frontiers for Pakistan.