One day on the banks of Indus River, a fisherman decided to change his life after reading an advertisement in a local newspaper. The fisherman named Imran Ali Mallah had worked his entire life to make ends meet, working seven days a week in blistering heat and often coming home empty-handed. Weary of the unpredictability of the fishing trade and inspired by an advertisement he saw in the newspaper, Imran decided to become a teacher.
The advertisement that changed the fisherman’s life was for the Associate’s Degree in Education Program (ADE), an initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that provided training in modern teaching methods to new and experienced teachers, improving the education of students all over Pakistan. More than 2,600 students were currently enrolled in the two-year ADE program and the four-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) created through USAID assistance and accredited by the Government of Pakistan. Additionally, USAID had awarded nearly 1,000 scholarships for B.Ed. and ADE degrees. The US funded project had been working with the federal and provincial governments, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), provincial departments of education, 15 universities, and 75 teacher colleges.
Meanwhile, Imran committed himself to this new endeavour. He traveled four hours each day from his home in Jamshoro to the Provincial Institute of Teacher Education in Nawabshah to pursue his ambition of becoming a teacher. He received excellent grades, and completed the ADE program with flying colours.
Today, Imran’s future looked secure. Instead of toiling each day on his boat, he was now teaching young people, and hoped that they too would have the opportunity for a better future.
“Changing the mindset of the youth toward learning and success is very important for the citizens of our country,” said Imran. “It enables personal growth. I hope to pass on this beacon of knowledge.”
Imran credited the US funded education program with his success. “The ADE program has been a source of inspiration,” says Imran. “It enabled me to switch my profession from fishing to teaching. With its advanced teaching methods, it has brought classrooms to life, which has made both teachers and students open to change.”
ADE is just one of the many US funded projects that have helped millions of Pakistani children unlock their full potential. The US was launching new degree programs in education at 90 teacher colleges and universities, and was also building new applied research centers at Pakistani universities that focused on energy, water and agriculture sectors. More than 10,600 low-income students were attending college in Pakistan with US funded scholarships.
More information regarding ADE could be collected from http://www.pakteachers.org.
A fisherman’s tale: US funded teacher training programme changes a life
