Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) and Human Development Programme (AKU-HDP)’s Fund for Children (F4C) team, in close collaboration with Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Government Health and Education Department, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), Aga Khan Health Service Pakistan (AKHSP), and Aga Khan Education Service Pakistan (AKESP), launched a 10-day training to enhance the professional development of healthcare and education professionals in GB.
The session was inaugurated by Mr Ghulam Shehzad Agha, GB Education Minister, in the presence of Dr Saleem ud Din, Director-General of Health; Mr Faizullah Khan Lone, Director-General of Education; and Mr Jamil Uddin, General Manager of AKRSP.
As a part of the Foundations for Health and Empowerment (F4HE) project – key facilitators representing AKRSP, AKESP, AKHSP, and Government organisations, will be equipped with the skills necessary to aid children and offer them chances to avail high-quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) services.
The training has a specific emphasis on promoting holistic development among children in 14 Union Councils within GB and in Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These Councils span across 10 districts, namely Skardu, Ghanche, Shigar, Kharmang, Khaplu, Diamer, Astore, Nigar, as well as Lower, Upper, and Central Chitral.
“We are grateful to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) agencies and technical partners (AKU) for undertaking this initiative,” said the Education Minister of GB.
“We are committed to providing high-quality ECD services to children in GB,” said Dr. Abid Ali- a consultant for F4HE from the Aga Khan Foundation. “This training is a step towards that goal.”
A component of the F4C initiative – the training is a stride towards promoting broader adoption and utilisation of integrated ECD services. This is achieved by enhancing the competence of parents and caregivers.