Pakistan Reading Project aims to reach over 1.3 million children across Pakistan
ISLAMABAD – Around 800 students, their parents and teachers have received formal training under the Pakistan Reading Project organized by Hashoo Foundation in partnership with the USAID and the support of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).
The concluding ceremony celebrated the success of “Improving Reading Habits of Grade 1 and 2 Students through Parental Engagement”, Project and was held at the Islamabad Model School for Girls (I-V) Nilore.
Mr. Asif Ali Khan, Director Training Wing, Federal Directorate of Education graced the occasion as chief guest while Ms. Tayyaba Aurangzeb, Senior Director Finance & Grants and Mr. Matloob Hussain, Head of Islamabad Office Pakistan Reading Project also attended the event.
Education in Pakistan faced the dual challenge of accessibility and the availability of quality, making it vital to invest in both to improve enrolment and improve the quality of education, said Ayesha Khan – Country Director, Hashoo Foundation (HF). Alluding to the Article 25-A of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Ms. Khan said that education for all is the fundamental right of all citizens of Pakistan regardless of their faith color, creed, and class. Highlighting the motivation for the Hashwani family’s philanthropy, she stressed that by working together we collectively make a difference. She praised foremost, the parents and the teachers for playing their part in the resounding success of this project.
Mr. Asif Ali Khan, Director Training Wing, Federal Directorate of Education, in his address, stated that this ceremony doesn’t mark the conclusion of a project, instead of an inception of a greater collective target to sustain parental involvement in children’s education and frequent interaction between parents and teachers for the benefit of students. He also acknowledged the contribution of Hashoo Foundation and USAID PRP to improve the quality and access of education in slum areas of Islamabad. He urged to further strengthen this partnership and work to create an enabling environment for early childhood development in government schools.
Mr. Matloob Hussain, Head of Office, USAID-Pakistan Reading Project said the project targets over 1.3 million children across Pakistan and thanked Hashoo Foundation, government, and parents for their proactive role in implementing this project in Islamabad.
Around 800 students, their parents and teachers have received formal training, utilized flash cards and benefited from small libraries through Hashoo Foundation’s intervention. HF has also published and distributed indigenous storybooks amongst select libraries for the benefit of improving reading habits amongst children of Grades 1 & 2, and established 25 cluster-based model rooms with the generous support of the parents and teachers across selected government schools in Islamabad.