Islamabad
Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Muhammad Balighur Rehman has said that under article 25-A it is the state’s responsibility to provide free and compulsory education to children of age 5 to 16 years at the federal, provincial or local level, says a press release.
“However, due to fiscal limitations, it is not possible for the state to provide free pre-primary education to 3 to 5 years old children, therefore, I appreciate the efforts of Parwaan Preschool-A School Readiness Programme collaborating with the Federal Education Ministry to train educated unemployed youth in entrepreneurial and ECD pedagogical skills to open early childhood development (ECD) centres in their communities in rural areas of Islamabad. These centres will cater to the children of age group 3-5 years,” he stated this while addressing the concluding ceremony of six-week long training of 20 youth entrepreneurs, mostly females, organised by Children’s Global Network Pakistan (CGN-P) under its Parwaan Preschool Programme at Academy for Educational Planning and Management, Islamabad.
The ceremony was attended among others by senior government officials, important community figures, local body representatives’ community members and young entrepreneurs.
President Parwaan and Chief Executive CGN-P Mehnaz Aziz while sharing the success of the programme stated that the seeds, which we sowed, are now bearing fruits. She commended the efforts of those trainees who have already opened their ECD centers before the completion of training and have started the enrolment. She said that the programme will be expanded to 30 districts and will train 6,000 entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs Shagufta and Zobia Zar while sharing their training experience thanked Parwaan for providing them training opportunity in ECD. “The training has taught me the significance and benefits of early childhood development and the techniques to start and handle one’s own business which will be vital in the establishment of my ECD center.” said entrepreneur Shugufta. Zobia Zar added that Parwaan has given her the opportunity to be independent in a professional capacity and contribute to Pakistan by working for ECD.
The chief guest at the conclusion of the ceremony distributed certificates among the trainees certifying them to run their ECD centres in their respective communities.
Parwaan Preschool Programme, implemented in collaboration with Ilm Ideas 2, currently being implemented in five districts- Khushab, Bahawalpur, Kohat, Charsadda and ICT caters to the early year’s education and development needs of poor and marginalized children of age 3-5 years and building capacities of youth entrepreneurs to open up ECD centers in their respective communities.
