PRCS, FDE sign accord for students’ capacity building

Islamabad: The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Thursday signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) for mobilizing, training and capacity-building of students studying in educational institutions registered with the FDE.

PRCS Secretary General Khalid bin Majeed and FDE Director General Zia Batool signed the document on behalf of their respective organizations. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood, PRCS Chairman Abrar ul Haq, Secretary Education Farah Hamid, and other senior officials of PRCS and FDE were present at the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Shafqat Mehmood said, Covid-19 has reshaped the entire world, changing the dynamics of behaviours and responsibilities, including those shouldered by educational institutions. He stressed the need for people and the society to adapt to changing scenarios following the pandemic. The minister appreciated the establishment of Red Crescent Corps (RCC) and termed it an initiative that will go a long way in training and capacity-building of youth and students to cope with any emergency situation or national-level disaster in future. He also hailed the services recently rendered by PRCS to contain the spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan and to mitigate the sufferings of the affected segments.

Abrar ul Haq said, PRCS is a huge platform with presence in every nook and corner of the country in the shape of young volunteers and trained first-aid providers.

Abrar said, the agreement between PRCS and FDE will help raise a force of trained volunteers under the umbrella of RCC, which will be readily available to serve the humanity in the time of need. He said, dedicated and trained volunteers are the backbone of PRCS; they have always played a vital role in carrying out different activities in peace time or disaster-like situations as well as maintaining strong links and regular interaction with communities. Khalid Majeed said under the agreement, willing and motivated students from FDE-registered educational institutions will be enrolled as RCC members for voluntary humanitarian work in the time of need. He said first-aid trainings will be imparted to students and faculty of all FDE-registered institutions.

Under the umbrella of RCC, the PRCS and FDE will facilitate each other by effective co-ordination for blood donation camps at educational institutions, Khalid said, adding that the two organizations will collaborate to organize cleanliness and hygiene drives, tree plantation campaigns, awareness sessions, environment conservation activities, school safety campaign activities, and behavioural change activities.