Moalims

KARACHI: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with the provincial governments across Pakistan to reinforce the foundational reading skills of primary grade children.

In Sindh, USAID is making the dream of grade 1 and 2 children to read and learn efficiently a reality. As a result of its demonstrated successes through the Sindh Reading Programme (SRP) and the Pakistan Reading Project (PRP), USAID has closely coordinated with the government of Sindh and key policy makers to inculcate a culture of reading in the province. These unremitting efforts and commitment have led to an official notification by the Sindh Education and Literacy Department to all primary public schools in SRP’s and PRP’s 22 target districts to include a daily, 35 minutes reading period in their classroom schedules, as also notified in other provinces. These efforts are a part of a $165 million, government-to-government initiative, titled, Sindh Basic Education Programme (SBEP). SBEP is the US government’s direct support to Sindh Education Sector Plan 2014-18 and its implementation. It comprises a suite of distinct yet complementary projects, aiming to strengthen and reform Sindh’s education sector, build human and institutional capacities, improve pedagogical excellence in early grade reading, expand and sustain reading outcomes, and engage communities to promote reading.

The SRP is an integral component of SBEP and the sister project, PRP are strategically aligned with Sindh’s basic education sector priorities to advance primary education and contribute to USAID’s global education target of 100 million children with improved rudimentary learning and literacy skills. “This is a groundbreaking achievement for both the governments. The introduction of daily reading classes in primary schools is happening for the first time in the history of Sindh’s education sector. We are taking the quality of education in the province to the next level, where our children are introduced to highly creative and enterprising methods of teaching and learning. I congratulate our teachers for helping us reach this decisive moment.

“This is an achievement of those parents as well who send their children to school in their pursuit of a quality education, inspiring us to do more and do better,” said Tameez-ud-din, Programme Director SBEP, Education and Literacy Department Sindh. Dr Randy Hatfield Programme Manager SBEP USAID said, “This announcement signifies the government’s ownership and recognition of USAID’s province-wide interventions for modernising education in Sindh. It highlights the importance of reading for young students who are just stepping into the world of knowledge and learning. Based on the new notification, projects like SRP and PRP are now poised to support every grade 1 and grade 2 reader child in their 22 target districts.”

News Reference