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Islamabad, May 23, 2006: The Parent Teacher
Associations at Federal Government Girls
Secondary School Kuri and Federal Government
Girls Secondary School Malpur inaugurated
school libraries in separate ceremonies
today. The schools, both of which are in
Bara Kau, are among the 5,000 in Rawalpindi
District, Sindh and Balochistan that have
received USAID funds to improve their infrastructure
and simultaneously increase parental involvement
in schools.
USAID Mission Director Jonathan
Addleton inaugurated the Kuri library alongside
Professor Rafique Tahir, Director of Training
at the Federal Directorate of Education.
The Malpur was inaugurated by USAID Education
Officer Thomas Crehan and Brigadier Maqsood
ul-Hasson, director general of the Federal
Directorate of Education.
Under $1,500 USAID School
Improvement Grants, the Kuri and Malpur
PTAs organized management committees, decided
that their greatest priority was a one-room
school library and raised funds from parents
and community members to augment the USAID
grants.
Jonathan Addleton made a gift
of books to the Kuri library and honored
the exemplary commitment of the Kuri Parent
Teacher Association. The U.S. Embassy donated
an “American Discovery Center”
set of books to the Malpur school to provide
students with access to materials on American
society.
In Kuri, Addleton said, “I
understand that the PTA was actively engaged
in ensuring that the construction of this
room is of the highest quality. You are
to be commended for your commitment to your
daughters.”
He added, “We are very
happy to see the parents and community getting
involved in the education of their children.
Our experience in the United States is that
parental involvement dramatically improves
the learning and educational experience
of their children.”
“The development of
a country is closely tied to the education
of girls and women,” Addleton said.
“We are particularly committed to
increasing the educational opportunities
for girls in Pakistan.”
Representatives of USAID partner
Research Triangle Institute, teachers, parents
and students attended the ceremonies.
USAID primary education programs
focus on training teachers in the use of
participatory learning methods, school infrastructure
upgrades and improved school and education
system management. USAID is spending more
than $76 million to support education in
Pakistan in 2006.
Rebuilding and equipping schools
and providing teacher training will also
be key components of USAID’s $200
million reconstruction program in the earthquake
affected areas over the next four years.
The United States, through
USAID, is providing more than $1.5 billion
in development assistance to Pakistan over
the next five years to improve education,
health, governance and economic growth.
In addition, the United States has pledged
a total of $510 million in earthquake relief
and reconstruction efforts to assist the
people of Pakistan and to support Pakistani
government relief and reconstruction efforts.
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