Welcome Remarks by ITA/IPL Director
PELI 2010 Pre Departure Ceremony July 1 st,2010
A Unique Professional Development Program 2003/4-2010/11
Across Pakistan & USA
Transforming Perceptions & Actions through Cross Cultural
Engagement
The PLAYERS 2003/4-2010
Funded by
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA)
Grantee & Implementer
Plymouth State University, New Hampshire , USA
160 Participants
Beneficiaries
85% Public Sector Government of Pakistan – All Departments of Education
15% Non-State Institutions with strategic outreach
Participating Provinces/Areas
Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa FATA, Gilgit
Baltistan; ICT, AJK,
Technical & Operational In-country Support:
Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) & Institute for Professional Learning
(IPL) - affiliated college – HEC Recognized
Team Synergies
US Department of State through ECA-Citizen
Exchanges– Led by Adam Meier
Plymouth State University through PEL Project
Director - Blakeman Allen
Public Affairs Section – US Embassy Pakistan
ITA and IPL teams in Pakistan - technical,
operational and policy support – large effort
across the country
PELI Alumni - a vital critical partner and key
informants to the evolving PEL Project
Key Thematic Areas PELI -2004-2010
PELI’s Target Group
Teachers/educators from Secondary Schools /education
Subject Areas
Science
Mathematics
Social Studies /Environment /Citizenship
English
Headteachers as leaders
Core Themes:
Educational leadership, environmental education &
stewardship, and conflict resolution.
Responsible Citizenship ; Heritage Preservation ;
Environment preservation Peace building through Respect for
Diversity
Pakistani Educational
Leadership(PEL) Project & Institute
KEY COMPONENTS – an iterative project
Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute (PELI) – Summer
Institute 4 weeks – 60 hours per week
Master Action Plans – supported by mini Grants- in-country
– 6-10 weeks – Debriefing/Field Support
Capstone Conference – Alumni, Counterpart institutions, US
Educators
PELI Alumni Workshops – a new feature supported by
small grants up to $500
Research and Publications – from time to time
Other components may follow based on annual feedback
An Evolving Iterative Institute 2004-
2010-–deepening and extending
annually
Feedback very critical after each PELI
Policy, Reforms, National Curriculum &
Professional Standards – feedback to PSU –PEL
Project team
Ideas and suggestions by PELI alums,
counterpart institutions factored into successive
Institutes – thematically and operationally
New components added to the grant proposals
each year based on these inputs by PEL project
team at PSU
PELI ALUMs Synergising with ITA Programs Across
Pakistan
Spread of PSU Alumni Across
Pakistan -2004-2010 ( 160)
PELI Alumni Coverage Across Pakistan 2004 -2010
Gilgit Total Number of
Year Punjab Sindh Balochistan Federal AJK NWFP FATA Baltistan Participants
2004 13 0 0 10 2 0 0 0 25
2005 10 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 20
2006 11 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 20
2007 6 3 0 3 3 0 0 0 15
2008 11 2 0 3 1 3 0 0 20
2009 4 3 3 2 1 4 3 0 20
2010 7 7 7 3 1 6 4 5 40
Total 62 21 14 21 17 13 7 5 160
*Batch under process
• Alumni are working in very challenged spaces in the country, in conflict ridden and highly under-
developed areas .. They have great skills and ideas but need technical, financial and moral support
to disseminate good practices to a wider audience/fellow teachers to upgrade skills & learning
Transformative Statements PELI Alums
What PELI meant for me…. ..
A personal journey of professional transformation and friendships for a life time
– caring faculty at PSU
I am not the same I have improved and become more of a listening person –
caring teacher for my students
I learned to respect my rich cultural heritage - PSU teams taught us this so
profoundly
The visit to Washington DC was unique and empowering .. We rubbed
shoulders with decision makers who listened to what we had to say..
I learnt to appreciate our own cultural diversity of 10,000 history of civilizations
People are the same.. Caring and nurturing ..
Rich contexts and cultural exposure to be woven into cultural and professional
frames and classroom interactions
I see my students with a new lens since my return to PELI
PELI experience is a must for teachers in Pakistan .. A journey of personal and
professional transformation.. I am blessed
From PELI Alums 2004-2009
Exciting Firsts in PELI 2009/2010
Participants expansion– successfully doubled from 20 to 40!
Graduate Certificate Program: Intercultural Education
and Leadership of 15 Graduate Credit Hours granted by
PSU Academic Committee based on merit and performance
from 2010 -2011 – encompassing PELI participation in USA
and in-country MAPs – A pioneering step .. Suggested by
the PELI cohort of 2009
Eligibility: Open only to PELI participants, who may enroll
upon arrival in Plymouth.
Incentivizing professionals – raising the status of teachers in Pakistan
Challenges are HEC recognition of the 15 Grad. Credit Hours through
partner institutions & IPL
PELI Grant Goals 2010-2011
Goal 1: Foster respect amongst the diverse cultures of Pakistan and
the United States through the examination of educational leadership as
a keystone of civil society, with a focus on ethical decision making and
advocacy for change.
Goal 2: Transform institutional and individual understanding of best
practices and innovations in science education, incorporating
environmental models.
Goal 3: Share strategies for the effective delivery of environmental
literacy in English with a focus on clarity and appropriate technical
terminology.
Goal 4: Engage educators in the development and implementation of
Master Action Plans that assist them in translating Institute content
into culturally appropriate, best pedagogical practices within
Pakistan’s curricular and societal frameworks and in affecting change
in the educational sector.
Goal 5: Explore strategic planning initiatives to expand alumni
outreach and engagement
Master Action Plans (MAPs) - PSU
Alumni - Good Practices for Dissemination
Since 2008 PSU-PELI alums engaged in subject/thematic MAPs in
Pakistan,
Forming environmental clubs in schools
Environmental and heritage preservation
Citizenship, Diversity & Peace Education .
Valuable Resource Materials generated which must be disseminated
across many more educators
Emerging Communities of Practice and reflection - promoting a wider
movement of teachers without frontiers or educators without
frontiers
Big opportunity for professional development and standards
PSU Alumni emerging as major players
PELI Alumni Network –
Institutionalization Prospects
PELI Alumni have trained over 170,000 teachers across
Pakistan from 2004 onwards- a formidably capable group
PELI Alumni 160 in 2010, a growing force in Pakistan -
culturally diverse, professionally competent & imaginative
Already the Alums are actively engaged in collaborating
across provinces and borders (India/USA)
The Institute of Professional Learning (IPL)- affiliated with
the University of Education and HEC recognized since
2009 is willing to provide operational support for PELI
Alumni Network –
IPL has mandate for Professional Networks (two
networks already running voluntarily at IPL- PTAN/PELI)
Some Suggestions for Expansion &
Diversity of PELI
Expand the program annually
Faculty and Teachers’ Exchange programs between
USA & Pakistan, perhaps regionally as well
Program to be expanded to a Summer institute for
students in the 4 year B.Ed program- an incentive
towards professionalization of teachers
Sandwichprograms for Masters – USA and Pakistan
based through PELI institutions in both countries
Regional exchange and capacity building programs
ITA/IPL - 7 year track record without any hiccups to
become an institutional partner for such and many other
citizen/educator exchange programs across public sector
institutions and selected private sector
ITA Salutes
A Grand Alliance for Quality
Education through
public private partnerships
&
United States of America (USA)–
Pakistan Friendship
Thank You
