USAID successfully completes Teacher Education Programme
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has marked the successful completion of an education program that has increased the number of skilled, high performing Pakistani government teacher trainers.
The Pakistan Teacher Education and Professional Development Program (PTEPDP), a three-year, $5 million training initiative has provided professional development and teacher training courses to 272 teachers, teacher educators, and heads of teacher training institutes.
Since 2003, PTEPDP has supported the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to enhance the professional skills of Pakistan teacher educators in the teaching of math, science and English as a Second Language. USAID teacher training programs aim to give new knowledge and skills to educators so that the classroom experience is more interactive and enquiry-based rather than being devoted to rote memorization.
Working with both U.S. universities and Pakistani government teacher training institutions/colleges, PTEPDP has also promoted professional contacts between the United States and Pakistani educators.
Teacher preparation is critical in promoting quality education over the long term. While 272 teachers and teacher trainers participated in PTEPDP—172 at U.S. institutions and 100 at universities in Pakistan—as teacher educators, they will train hundreds of more teachers across Pakistan in these new skills and lessons.
PTEPDP alumni, coming from all four provinces as well as Kashmir and the Northern Areas, are currently teaching at 103 institutions in 72 districts across Pakistan. “As they return to their jobs at government teacher training institutions, course participants have been sharing their new skills, knowledge and perceptions with colleagues,” observed Iqbal Jatoi, Program Director for USAID implementing partner Academy for Educational Development (AED). “They are influencing teacher training outreach services throughout Pakistan.”
USAID’s education program in Pakistan, based on close consultation with the Ministry of Education, is designed to increase access to quality education for all Pakistanis. Education initiatives range from teacher training and scholarships to school improvement grants and classroom construction. The one area where USAID’s education program is not active, by mutual agreement with the Government of Pakistan, is curriculum reform.
The United States, through USAID, is providing more than $1.5 billion in development assistance to Pakistan over the next five years to improve education, health, governance and economic growth. In addition, the United States has pledged a total of $510 million in earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts to assist the people of Pakistan and to support Pakistani government efforts.