Outstanding feedback: Conference on pre-primary education begins at AIOU

Participants agree to work jointly with a pro-active approach for early childhood development

A two-day national conference on pre-primary education and childcare was held on Monday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) and all participants agreed that they should work together with a pro-active active approach for early childhood development.

While inaugurating the conference, State Minister for Education Engr Muhammad Baligur Rehman announced that the government will attach high priority to child welfare, hoping that the conference’s recommendations will help preparing a road-map for ensuring better future of the new generation.

The conference was jointly organised by the Early Childhood Development Network of Pakistan (ECDNP), Education Ministry, AIOU, and some relevant NGOs.

Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Siddiqui in his remarks on the occasion said that the AOIU will provide academic and intellectual support to the efforts of promoting and implementing the concept of pre-primary education. “We wish to be government’s strong partner in this connection,” he added.

Rehman announced that matters relating to early childhood will be included in the curriculum at various academic levels. Federal government in collaboration with the provinces will take steps for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

He said the government has initiated a pilot project by starting Montessori classes at eleven schools of the capital, which have given outstanding feedback.

The minister was of the view that nutrition and characterisation of children in early childhood was mandatory before education. The quality of education and ECCE, he said, were essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). He hoped that the ECCE conference will produce concrete recommendations for better education in the country.

Vice Chancellor AIOU in his speech further said the event was highly significant since it brings all the stake holders together on one platform to evolve future road map taking care of children at their early age.

He said that about 65 percent women were getting education in the AIOU adding that about one thousands prisoners would also get free education from the university.

AIOU was providing free education to out of school girl students, he added The event was aimed at promoting holistic early childhood care and education for Pakistan and creating an equitable, pluralistic and sustainable society.

Additional Secretary Education Imran Ahmad, Joint Educational Advisor Rafiq Tahir,   Dr Manzoor Hussain from Bangladesh, UNICEF Deputy Representative Cristian Lorena Munduate, Early Childhood Network Development Pakistan Chairman Nasruddin Rupani, and JICA Pakistan Chief Representative Yasuhiro Tojo also spoke on the occasion.

They hailed the efforts of the education ministry and its partners for holding this conference on early childhood care and education.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2017.