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Since its establishment in 1948, the British Council has made unwavering efforts to connect and provide opportunities for countless educators, students, policy makers, creatives, academics, and entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Their end goal is to support young, passionate people to achieve world-class education and acquire the skills needed to reach their potential in their prospective careers.
The organisation continuously creates new platforms and develops new networks to give younger generations a voice in society. Currently, the British Council Partner Schools has around 2100 schools onboard that support over 100,000 teachers dedicated to imparting their knowledge to millions of students.
As schools around the globe navigate the disruptions caused by Covid-19 and plan for a post-pandemic future, educators have had to question long-held beliefs, unlearn what they once knew, and reimagine learning.
On March 9th and 10th, the British Council Partner Schools held an omnichannel conference, which was open to all British Council Partner Schools, i.e., schools offering UK qualifications. In previous years, the conference revolved around discussions about pedagogical innovation, resilience, and internationalising the curriculum and vision of schools.
This year, building on these themes and responding to the effects of the pandemic, the 7th annual Schools Now Conference focused on leading recovery in terms of community, curriculum, and wellbeing.
Recognising the effects of the pandemic on the global education system, the conference aimed to highlight the efforts and support school leaders provided to learning communities, while embracing the challenges imposed on them by the pandemic.
The event hosted several renowned speakers from around the globe. While Alison Willmott was the conference facilitator, the event was graced virtually by Evelyn Forde, Rukhsana Hassen, Afshan Khalid, Sara Yasan, Victoria Wells, Sally McWilliams, Dina Hassan, and Rukhsana Hassen, among others.
Many aspects of the road to recovery were discussed during the two-day event. Sub-themes included recovery of social, emotional, and learning skills, recovery for inclusion and resilience, and recovery towards a new normal. The key goal was to encourage networking and collaboration amongst attendees from across the world.
Effective practices were shared by school leaders to help others build on what worked for them and to plan for the immediate future. Evelyn also discussed the challenges faced by schools pertaining to the mental health and well-being of young people grappling with the effects and trauma induced by the pandemic.
It was recognised that many are finding it challenging to come to terms with the school becoming a shifting landscape after returning. Afshan Khalid also summarised the remedial interventions, evidence of best practices, and the challenges faced by Pakistan’s oldest and most widespread private school network. From prioritising fun and enjoyable Active Recovery to simple strategies to validate the emotions of students and staff alike, a lot of things were discussed to find solutions for helping pupils stay focused on their studies.
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