Sportsman’s spirit: Afridi, Tameer-e-School Programme enter partnership to stump illiteracy

Shahid Afridi terms illiteracy country’s biggest problem, announces complete support to promote education in K-P.

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan’s favourite cricketer Shahid Afridi has termed illiteracy the country’s biggest problem and announced his complete support to promote education in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) by putting his share in the Tameer-e-School Programme.

The Tameer-e-School Programme entails funding by private donors, both domestic and foreign, to help renovate public schools across the province and provide them with adequate facilities.

In an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune on Thursday, Afridi termed the programme a positive initiative of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to overcome illiteracy in the province, adding he was always available to contribute to positive initiatives in every sector across the country.

“Education is a must. Children without education can be shaped however one wants, but once you educate children, they will be able to differentiate between good and bad,” Afridi said, adding he has also been working on healthcare projects in the tribal areas and hoped the education project would be extended to the tribal belt too.

When asked whether he has contacted other international cricketers to contribute to PTI’s initiative, Afridi said, “Almost every cricketer has been contributing in various projects in their respective countries. We have enough people in our own country to support this cause.”

“(PTI Chairman) Imran Khan has been doing an amazing job in promoting education. I am always available to help out and my services are not limited to PTI but to everyone having a workable idea of developing any poor sector of the country,” said the star cricketer.

Teaching with technology

Haier Pakistan Chief Executive Javed Afridi has proposed the introduction of an e-education system in the province and offered to establish a model e-education school under the government’s Tameer-e-School Programme.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Javed said he has the skilled manpower and technology available to provide the system on a day’s notice, adding he has been in contact with the provincial education ministry in this regard.

“We have introduced this technology in many countries and all we need is a go ahead from the provincial government,” Javed said. He said Rs2 million was the cost for acquiring products for 200 students of a primary school.

He said they can install the government-approved syllabus in computers in all languages, enabling children to choose their study content online. He informed that the technology helps students reduce self-weakness and become independent from the teacher in enhancing their scores.

He also said e-education will enable students to obtain the required study material without unnecessary delays, and establish contact with other schools and teachers. Javed said he was ready to provide the technology free of cost and the government would only need to purchase the equipment.

When contacted, K-P Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif said, “We are more than willing to accept not only the e-education proposal but every single step taken to facilitate K-P residents.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2014.