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About Us |
Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi was formed and registered in June 2000. ITA's primary focus is comprehensive education reform beginning with public sector schools which are in a state of sub-optimal performance. It also works with other sectors of basic education in non-formal and literacy programs for the disadvantaged groups such as child labor, destitute, women and youth. ITA works in a sector wide approach across formal, non-formal education from, ECE up to secondary levels and teacher education, in pre-service, in-service and certification programs. Policy and advocacy are an embedded focus of the organization.
ITA is pleased to share that it has a presence across ECD and ECE from 6 months to 5 years working closely with mothers in community based and school settings:
The ECE initiative is currently in practice in four major programs with physical presence as follows:
1) Whole School Improvement Program in run down government schools since 2000 and now in low cost private schools in Sindh and Punjab
2) Non Formal Education and catch up programs for child labor and vulnerable groups since 2001
3) Education in Emergencies since 2005
4) Capacity building and learning materials dissemination of ECE National Curriculum 2006 through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public private partnership (PPPs).
UNILEVER Pakistan Ltd (UPL) through its SURF EXCEL brand has been a pioneering initiative in this critical area. The CE National Curriculum 2007 has been shared in Urdu and English in over 7000 schools, capacity building done for 1100 teachers along with ECE learning kits since 2008.
Each one of these strands has led to a generation of learning materials, toolkits, influencing policy and practice. The work coincided with the launch of the Education Sector Reforms Action Plan 2001-2005/Innovative Program for ECE and Public- Private Partnership initiatives.
Being committed to EFA goals and the critical importance for Early Childhood Education as the first step towards nurturing and care in learning, ITA explored opportunities with the Departments of Education, to setup ECE in its partner Govt schools catering for children at pre Katchi and Katchi levels. The government extended permission to set up a pre Kachi program for 3-5 year olds. This was approved, and became a platform to influence education policy. A program for ECE helped ITA to link the schools with parents and the local community, trigger classroom improvement in the primary section and change attitudes of teachers and parents with marked results in practice and impact. It has also led to a focus on health needs of the children. The program currently is being implemented in:
a) WSIP 700 schools currently being supported in several districts of Punjab a well Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Sindh.
b) 11 NFE programs drop in centers in Lahore, Rawalpindi, ICT and Karachi with over 1000 children in ECE
c) Education in Emergencies 10,000 children in ECE age group in 2005/2011 including safe play areas
d) Dirt is Good/Surf Excel campaign with 1098 teachers trained in 1000 schools in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Muzzaffar Garh & Rahim Yar Khan, and Ghotki
e) 1016 ECE Learning Kits "Aao Mil kar Sekhein" alongwith the guidelines were distributed to 1000 schools
f) 10,000 copies of the ECE NC 2007 in Urdu & English were printed and disseminated, including 1000 Urdu ones to the Ministry of Education ( ITA managed to convince the MoE to let it take the lead in printing the Urdu version)
g) 1500 Teachers Training Manuals based on NC ECE 2007 were distributed during 3 days training in which 70% Govt and 30% Private schools participated.
h) 8 parks including one in a camp in Swabi in 2009 were facilitated for promoting experiential learning. An impact assessment was completed by Surf Excel the program is CSR driven focused on scaled up delivery of curriculum, guidelines learning kits and its use over a short period of time compared to other programs over time.
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In 2010/11 Surf Excel partnered with ITA for its unique program TOOLs for SCHOOLS in emergency districts ( Ghotki, Rahim Yar Khan and Muzaffargarh ) for improving/ rehabilitation ECE and primary classrooms along with furniture brightly painted by children , training teachers, extending para teachers for one and ECE leanring kits. |
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Early Childhood Development Program (ECD) 2009 |
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ECD began in the emergency and flood affected areas of Swabi Camp in 2009 and Sindh, Punjab in 2011. ECD is thus not only targeting children of 6months plus and mothers but is truly multi-sectoral extending from learning.education, to protection, mother and child care, nutrition and vocational skills and now livelihoods.
In the Swabi camp it was supported by Surf Excel/CSR and citizens’ donations, where as in the other provinces it has been supported by Dubai Cares Foundation/Target Groups/Ages, Daily Duration and Spaces of Sanjha Vehra (SV/ECD) |
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Children - 1 year to 5 years (mainstreaming to schools)- some cases could be younger
Mothers/Care Givers - accompanying them |
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Daily Duration:
Children - 3 hours minimum daily -6 days
Mothers presence in SV – 6 hours + per week |
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SV Spaces: Courtyard, 2-3 rooms, toilet, wash area, kitchen, kitchen garden, children at work, play spaces – vocational room for mothers |
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Geographical Areas : Flood affected villages and now Flood Affected Villages set up by the government and also by CSR. |
Targets to be achieved by 2013 April |
Districts – Flood Affected Areas including Model Villages |
ECD Centres |
Beneficiaries and Staff |
Shikarpur |
04 |
Children = 800 -1000; Mothers = 400
Staff = 6 (Centre Manager, LHW+ 4 asst) |
Rahim Yar Khan |
04 |
Children = 800 -1000 ; Mothers = 400
Staff = 6 (Centre Manager, LHW+ 4 asst) |
Muzaffargarh |
07 |
Children = 1400 -1600 ; Mothers = 700
Staff = 6 (Centre Manager, LHW+ 4 asst) |
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ECD Core Areas of Focus
- Developmental Milestones- Physical, Cognitive, Emotional
- Protection and care ..safe spaces
- Nutrition – healthy cooking once a week
- Learning Readiness activities, paced, interactive – making sense by ourselves
- Aesthetics/creativity - exploring colors, words, body movements; songs and sounds – connecting with multiple intelligences
- Mothers’ Health (pre-post natal), Child Care , Well being- and expressions
- Mothers’ engagement in certified skills/vocations for livelihoods – life skills and DRR
- SV/PV – Team:
Manager, Asst, Lady Health Workers (LHWs) co-opted; visiting Doctor/ Nutritionist, Speakers-role models, Vocational Teacher/s
- Governance:
Mothers/Teachers’ Committee (Name to be given)
Nutrition
- Children in Sanjah Verahs are provided healthy and nutritious food cooked by mothers for holistic child growth and development on weekly basis
- Food items Such as : Khichri ; Sago dana
- Fresh milk with Rooh Afzah and tiger biscuits
- Noodles supported by CSR – KNORR noodles for all SVs )
Technical Vocational Skills and Livelihoods for Mothers i
This is just beginning of starting a skills and livelihood program in Kot Addu- Basti Malook
- On Monday June 18th , 2012 the first trade will begin for mothers and older siblings through TEVTA certification at 50% fees for a 3 months course (beautician ..high demand) – ITA has MOU with TEVTA
- It is an opportunity to learn skills, enterprise, linkages to micro credit
- This program component will be expanded to all SVs and will be tracked for livelihoods linkages
- All mothers/trainees will be provided exposure to DRR and life skills within 3 months
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Links with Government Departments, CSR, Universities and Regional Networks
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Department of Education.Schools |
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Department of Health |
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Health Sector Reforms Unit |
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Lady Health Workers’ focal person Provincisal and district |
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Directorate of Staff Development (DSD) |
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CSR partners UNILEVER/KNORR noodles/soups etc. |
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Aga Khan University . |
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ARNEC |
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Important Links |
Important ECE Web links |
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