F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: To mark International Education Week, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) handed over two mobile libraries to the Capital Administration and Development Division (CA&DD) at a ceremony in a local school today. After the transfer agreement was signed, USAID’s Office Director for Education Dr. Christopher Steel formally presented the bus keys to Minister of State for CA&DD Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
“With these mobile libraries, we can make sure that good books are reaching children who want to read and helping them become good readers,” said Dr. Steel. “I am happy that through today’s commitment, we are continuing this tradition of supporting Pakistan in its efforts to promote education, strengthen its education system and develop a national culture of reading.”
The mobile libraries will increase the availability of reading materials for children in Islamabad and surrounding areas. For the past two years, the USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project has operated the mobile libraries, visiting 338 schools and reaching nearly 65,000 children in Islamabad and Sindh. After each visit, the libraries leave behind a set of books so that children can continue to read. So far the mobile libraries have distributed 53,479 books during school visits.
The Pakistan Reading Project supports Pakistan’s provincial and regional Departments of Education in helping improve children’s reading skills.
Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said bus library project funded by USAID has helped not only cultivate love of learning among the students but also created healthy environment in schools.
Minister said this colorful bus has visited 338 school and reached 65,000 children in Islamabad and Sindh.
The USAID funded Pakistan Reading Project being implemented by IRC is helping improve reading skills of children across Pakistan.
The mobile bus library is another step towards promoting a reading culture in Pakistan, he remarked.
Minister thanked the U.S. Government for their continued support to raising standards in Pakistani education.
Dr Christopher Steel, Director Education USAID (Pakistan) said, The Pakistan Reading Project, implemented by the International Rescue Committee, is running a mobile bus library programme in Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) from the last two years and brought reading materials directly to communities and help re-establish reading habits.
Trained librarians onboard each bus will conduct story-telling sessions in each community they visit.
They will also issue books for schoolchildren to take home to read. He added.
He said, after each visit, the libraries leave behind the set of book so that children can continue to read, So far, these mobile libraries have distributed 53,479 books during these visits.
Chief of Party for USAID, Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) Naeem Sohail Butt and DG Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Hasnat Qureshi, signed the transfer agreement of mobile bus library programme.
In the ceremony Dr Christopher Steel, Director Education USAID (Pakistan) handed over the key of bus to Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
Principal Islamabad Model School F 7/1 Shabnum Afreen thanked Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Dr Christopher Steel, Director Education USAID (Pakistan),DG Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Hasnat Qureshi and Chief of Party for USAID, Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) Naeem Sohail Butt.
