1. The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development Professional Development Centre, North Initiatives on Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED)

2. Aim  To develop, implement and monitor an Early Childhood Education Programme for the schools of Northern Areas.

3. Introduction Need for this program, in Northern Areas  Little or no awareness of holistic child development in NA  Rigid, formal learning situation in Nursery, Prep classes  Least qualified staff working as Nursery teachers  Children are advanced in motor development and socialization, delayed in decision making and independent thinking skills

4. Introduction ………continue  Children need special activities to develop as balanced, creative and intellectual individuals  Students discomfort during the initial years of schools results in their drop out  Parents are unaware of the holistic developmental needs of their children  Most homes have a repressive rather than a stimulating environment

5. Mission Statement  To turn Nursery classes into a preparation for formal schooling by raising the awareness of communities and educators about the need for experiential learning.  To provide support and training to teachers on how to run a nursery class in accordance with the National Curriculum and the needs of children in the Northern Areas.

6. Focus Definition  Early childhood education and development is the holistic development of a child, physical, intellectual, social and emotional between three and eight years old. (depending on system)

7. PDCN’s facilitation regarding ECED 2002  PDCN initiated developing its faculty through conducting courses at AKU-IED (preparation and planning etc.) 2003  A PDCN Faculty and six teachers (Govt. 2, AKESP 2 and MFM 2) participated in the CE:ECED at AKU-IED) 2004  A PDCN faculty and three teachers (AKESP 2 and MFM 1) participated in the CE:ECED at AKU-IED

8. Continue 2005  Two AKESP teachers and a master trainer attended CE:ECED course at AKU-IED (PDCN’s faculty supported in classrooms during field work, conducted six Saturday seminars at PDCN and facilitated in writing reflective paper and case studies) (PDCN’s faculty supported in classrooms during field work, conducted six Saturday seminars at PDCN and facilitated in writing reflective paper and case studies)  Three workshops one week each for Government, AKESP and Private school teachers in 2005  Two workshops two week each (are in pipe line for 2006)

9. Schools where PDCN has worked on ECED  FG Girls High School Kashrote, District Gilgit.  FG Girls High School No. 1 Gilgit District Gilgit  DJ High School Danyore District Gilgit  Mehnaz Fatima Montessori School District Gilgit  Aga Khan School Sherqillah, District Ghizer  D.J. High School Singal, District Ghizer.  DJ High School Sonikote District Gilgit  DJ Primary School Zulfiqar Abad District Gilgit  DJ Primary School Majini Muhallah, District Gilgit.

10. Process of Providing Support to ECED Schools  Shared all ECED materials with head teachers and involved them in ECED activities  Introduced learning areas (Maths, Science, Language, Home, Art and Craft, and Music)  Practiced one class one teacher concept  Celebrated mothers’ day to involve them in children’s learning at their homes  Generated low cost materials in teaching and learning processes

11. Successes  Mothers provided materials such as hand made cushions for winter and paid more attention to their children’s health and hygiene  Students’ confidence improved and they became health and hygiene conscious  Classroom relationships between child to child and child to teacher became very friendly

12. Challenges  Lack of faculty support generally in field work and particularly in follow up  Exam oriented nursery classes  Lack of teachers in ECED classes  Lack of continuation in prep and further classes

13. Way Forward (Food for Thought)  How to sustain ECED activities in future through coordination amongst the AKDN institutions and between AKDN and Government Institutions?

14. Thank you!