Dubai Cares $8mn primary education programme in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan in full swing

ISLAMABAD: Dubai Cares $8 million-phased education programme launched to support the unprivileged children and break shackles of poverty is helping get quality primary schooling in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

Dubai Cares, which had divided its programme into three phases, had accomplished two of its projects worth $6.2 million in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan aimed at providing quality primary education to children, the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares Trariq Al Gurg told a group of journalists along with UAE ambassador to Islamabad Essa Abdulla Al Basha Al Noaimi here late Thursday.

Giving details of its education programme the CEO said this was an integrated programme which worked in close coordination with educational departments of the respective provinces and was meant to buttress efforts being already made by Pakistan. It works in close liaison with the Institute of Education and Awareness (Idara-e- Taleem-o- Aaghai-ITA). He praised the commitment of the present government to focus on education which was a passport to progress.

The philanthropic organization was launched by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai in 2007. Pakistan was the first country it selected to begin its programme under which a novel idea of 'Teachers Without Frontiers' was launched from commercial hub of the country Karachi on Friday (April 10). Under it, teachers would be selected for quality training who in turn would become trainers and train about 30,000 other teachers.

Another project was also underway which would benefit 3017 schools in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan and 12800 teachers would be accomplished by December next year.

Dilating on the programmes Dubai Cares had already accomplished, Tariq Al Gurg said during the first of its project in Chiniot, Multan Muzafargargh and Rahim Yar Khan worth $1.1 million, 400 teachers were trained and 185 schools were renovated and given books along with other needed facilities.

This project was completed in 2011. Under another project at least 300 schools were rebuilt and 600 teachers were trained. The project was completed in 2013.

Questioned how they would ensure the allocated money and the targets were achieved in line with parameters of the programme, the CEO said his team would be staying in Pakistan for a week and would be visiting the selected schools to make an assessment in this regard.

He said during his stay in Islamabad he had a very useful meeting with State Minister of Education and Technical Training Baleegh ur Rehman and briefed him on the education programme of the Dubai Cares.