VSO delegation overview ongoing education programs

PESHAWAR: A delegation led by global head of VSO International Education Ms. Joyce Laker visited Peshawar to strengthen partnerships and overview ongoing education programs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The delegation’s members interacted with school children, education champions, community elders as well as government officials and education experts about the key successes, challenges and problems being faced by the children of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
They also met with the Secretary Elementary & Secondary Education, Masood Ahmad where Ms. Joyce reassured the VSO’s commitment to supporting the provincial education sector, particularly in the marginalized areas. The Secretary said that education is a global issue; we cannot ignore the rights of the children. Access to basic education is the right of every child and we need to work together to contribute towards the global cause of education.
Secretary education told the participants that teacher’s deficiency is the major issue we are facing and with the support of VSO and other partner organizations; we need to engage volunteer teachers for various subjects to overcome the issue of lack of teachers in schools. He also acknowledged the contribution of VSO and PRDS for ongoing projects, especially support in enrollment campaign. The participants were told that PRDS aims to provide access to comprehensive, equitable and quality education for refugees and other children affected by various crises in the country. Under the MYR program, PRDS distributed 1596 computer tablets among the teachers, similarly bags and other education materials were also provided to the enrolled students.
The delegation also visited various project sites, including early childhood education centers, community learning centers, and formal schools being supported by VSO-ECW funded MYR program, to witness the successful models and ongoing and completed initiatives.
The delegation included country representative VSO Pakistan, Seher Afsheen, CEO Participatory Rural Development Society, Arjumand Shah, program manager MYRP, Tariq Hayat Yousafzai and others. During a visit to Peshawar University, chairman department of Social Work, Shakeel Ahmad said that our youth are enthusiastic to work as volunteers, but they need opportunities to polish their capabilities and skills.
Ms. Joyce Laker appreciated the efforts of the social work department and said that VSO’s work in Pakistan focuses on improving access to quality education, particularly for marginalized children and youth. Through a range of programs, VSO supports the development of early childhood education, community-based learning, and teacher training.
Meanwhile during visit to Allama Iqbal Open University Peshawar, Deputy Regional Directress Nafeesa Bibi briefed the participants about the joint venture of the university, VSO and PRDS and said that under the project they awarded scholarship to more than 1200 girls including madaris students, who couldn’t complete their matriculation due to various reasons i.e. lack of access to school, financial and cultural barriers.
While sharing her views, Ms. Joyce said that this visit has reinforced our commitment to Pakistan and the transformative power of education. “We are inspired by the dedication of our local partners and the resilience of the communities we serve. By working together, we can create a brighter future for all”, she added. At the end, souvenirs and shields were also presented to the head of VSO and other guests.