Newsletter Dec 2007

OTIA NC FU OD UE N

R DI

AM TH IOS NAK

w w w. k e f . o r g . p k , w w w. k e f u k . o r gw w w. k e f . o r g . p k , w w w. k e f u k . o r g

KEF Head Office:150 Westridge I, Rawalpindi, Pakistan Tel: +92-51-546 2617, 548 1763 Fax: +92-51-548 1763Email: [email protected] Website: www.kef.org.pk

KEF U.K: 370 Thornton Road, Whetley Mills, Bradford, BD9 4BG, UK. Tel: +44 1274 549970 Fax: +44 1274 549979Email: [email protected] website: www.kefuk.org

For latest news visit: www.kef-pk.blogspot.com

Newsletter Jul - Dec 07Newsletter Jul - Dec 07

KASHMIR EDUCATION FOUNDATION

I N T H I S I S S U E

KEF Head Office

Pearl Valley Public School Rawalakot

Soan Valley Public School Pakhowal

Institute of Teacher Education-Pakhowal

KEF - UK

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! Construction of the third KEF School (including the approach road), the Banjosa Valley Public School started in September 2007. The plinth and columns for the first floor were completed well ahead of schedule. The work is rescheduled to start in March 2008 after the end of snowfall season. (Thanks to Mr. Rashid Toosy of DESIGN FORUM CONSULTANTS, Lahore & Engr. M. Rashid Chauhdry of M/S RASHID ASSOCIATES, Rawalpindi who have offered their honorary services as architects and structural engineers for the project.)

! Foreign teacher trainers are making positive contribution towards raising the education standards in KEF schools and other institutions. A number of workshops and training sessions were held for faculty members of Bahria University, Pearl Valley Public School (PVPS), Army Public School (APS) Rawalakot, Soan Valley Public School (SVPS) and Fauji Foundation schools in Rawalpindi.

! Purpose built residential accommodation for the expatriate trainers and local faculty has been constructed at Pakhowal Complex at a cost of approximately three million rupees.

! Soan Valley and Pearl Valley Complexes have been repainted at a cost of one million rupees.

! Post earthquake activities. It was in October 2005 that KEF launched its relief program. Although the KEF program was completed after the winter of 2005/2006, some Philanthropists still donate through KEF to the people who have not received enough

assistance. Lt. Gen (R) Fahim Ahmad Khan’s contribution was distributed in 2007 in form of CGI sheets for the earthquake victims in AJK and NWFP. Shoaib & Saima Abbasi's donation is being used for the rebuilding of a medical dispensary (run by the army) in a remote area of Hajira, AJK – this dispensary daily serves around 120 patients who can not afford to visit the hospitals.

Kashmir Education Foundation

uality education is the key to progress as it creates leadership with vision. At present, the vast bulk of Pakistan's potential talent pool of rural population is prevented from contributing Qmeaningfully to the country's progress, as they are being denied access to quality education.

High calibre education is the ultimate gift to under-privileged children especially girl child. KEF has taken a modest step to fill this vacuum.

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Dispensary being rebuilt with the assistance of KEF friends.Dispensary being rebuilt with the assistance of KEF friends.


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KEF Head Office:

Pearl Valley Public School (PVPS)

“EXCEL TO SERVE” (PVPS motto)

! Mr. Asif Habib Khan, a Trustee of the Board has been appointed as Advisor to the Chairman KEF. He will assist the Chairman in overseeing KEF projects and in launching marketing campaigns for KEF chapters in USA, Europe and the Middle East.

! The renovation of KEF house started in December 2007. The building plan consists of adding a new guest room on the ground floor and office accommodation on 1st and lower ground floors. It is estimated to cost three million rupees - half of which is being donated by the Chairman. On completion of the building (in June 2008), the KEF Head Office will be re-housed in KEF House from its present rented accommodation.

! A significant improvement in the functioning of KEF has been effected as a result of formation of various Committees. The Executive Committee now meets regularly to approve the new initiatives and monitor the progress of various projects in hand.

! The Chairman and a Trustee of the KEF Board visited UK in September. They attended the KEF-UK fund raising dinner and visited the KEF-UK Office, a number of Philanthropists, Pakistani High Commissioner for UK Ms. Maliha Lodhi, St. Valentine High School., and the Bowden ladies.

! Mr. Muhammad Azhar Khan joined the KEF Head Office as Accounts and Finance Manager on 11th October 2007

The Annual Day of PVPS was celebrated in October. Gen (R) Muhammad Aziz Khan NI (M), S.Bt. was the Chief Guest. The ceremony included an impressive variety show followed by the prize distribution to the high achievers in curricular and extra curricular activities. The entire ceremony was conduc ted by the s tudents who also presented the annual

progress report of the school. The Chief Guest, in his address, paid tributes to the faculty and management for the high standard of education in PVPS. . He also advised the parents

Pearls welcoming the chief guestPearls welcoming the chief guest

Principal, Chief Guest & Trustee with the pearls

Principal, Chief Guest & Trustee with the pearls

Chairman KEF with Pakistan High Commissioner and First Secretary

Chairman KEF with Pakistan High Commissioner and First Secretary


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to be good citizens, thus setting an example for their children.

To meet the growing demand for admission of their children in PVPS, a new prep class is being started from 2008. The two sections will continue till class 5 after which they would merge to a single class of 25. The children will complete for a place in class 6.

Students of Class IX went on an educational trip to Lahore in October. Apart from visiting historical sites, they visited Lahore Museum, Mangla Dam, and also attended the flag lowering ceremony at Wagah.

Dr. Keith Ross and Ms. Ellen Rugen had a useful stay at Rawalakot where they conducted workshops for PVPS faculty on teaching science subjects and English. Dr. Ross helped the secondary/higher secondary level science teachers in improving their teaching skills. He also conducted a separate science workshop for the teachers of Army Public School Rawalakot as KEF's contribution towards uplifting the education standards of the area.

13 students from PVPS held a joint assembly with the students of Valentine High School in UK through multimedia. It was a unique experience for the students from a remote area to interact with students of a prestigious school in UK and discuss matters of mutual interest.

SVPS can now boast of a well laid library having over 10,000 books catalogued both for primary and secondary sections. It is now one of the favourite places for the young scholars of SVPS and gets frequent visitors from the adjacent ITE.

With the graduation of two diploma courses from ITE, the SVPS now has six faculty members from the local area and only one senior teacher deputed from PVPS. Gina Memon, a VSO volunteer from UK is giving demonstration lessons in SVPS for the professional development of the local teachers.

47 trainees completed their year long training in December 2007. A colourful ceremony was thheld on 6 December to mark the successful completion of the course. The trainees presented

variety of programmes including skits on the life in ITE. The ceremony was well attended by the local dignitaries, parents and KEF Trustees. Special certificates were awarded to all students who attended the 4 week English language workshop in Bahria University.

A 5 week Teaching Practice was conducted for the trainees of ITE in Fauji Foundation, Army

Soan Valley Public School (SVPS)

“EXCEL TO SERVE” (SVPS motto)

Institute of Teacher Education

Soans line upSoans line up


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Public and Educator's schools in Rawalpindi. The standard of our trainee teachers was appreciated by all the schools. Frances Kuraishi conducted a workshop for all the teachers of Fauji Foundation School as a gesture of our gratitude for facilitating teaching practice in their school system.

Dr. Keith Ross, who has now taken over as Director ITE and Ellen Rugen visited various schools and observed the trainee teachers during teaching practice and provided useful guidance. Mr. Liaqat Kuraishi (husband of Frances Kuraishi), and an ex Office for Standards in Education (UK) Inspector also voluntarily mentored the trainee teachers during their practice.

Gina Memon, a Voluntary Service Organisation (VSO) volunteer and very experienced trainer joined the ITE in November 2007. VSO plans to give KEF services of two more volunteers from March 2008.

Mr. Nadeem Michael, a teacher trainer from Notre-Dam Institute, Karachi and Rubina Khadim, an experienced teacher from PVPS have also joined the faculty of ITE.

The trainee teachers of ITE visited the Catholic Church Rawalpindi as part of their studies of other religions. This was an extremely useful interaction and the

2007 Diploma trainees with their faculty on graduation day.2007 Diploma trainees with their faculty on graduation day.

ITE Trainees welcoming the guestsITE Trainees welcoming the guests

ITE Trainees attending a classITE Trainees attending a class


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teachers had almost two hours of question/answer session with the Church Reverend.

The court yard of the ITE hostel has been laid with marble slabs that were donated by Ch. M. Waheed of TECHO PAK ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS.

As part of the Global School partnership scheme KEF-UK is delighted to announce that Valentines High School (London) a n d A c k l a m G r a n g e S c h o o l (Middlesbrough) have invited two Pearl Valley school students on a four week study visit to the UK. The visit will take place in 2008 during the autumn term.

Both schools in collaboration with Pearl Valley have begun detailed planning for the visit. The purpose of the visit is to give students a chance to benefit from world class education and an opportunity to interact and learn from each other's experiences.

KEF-UK hopes that this type of visit will promote 'shared experience learning' and offer teachers, students, their parents and potentially the wider community an experience that can have a profound and lasting impact on all those involved.

As a part of this partnership, KEF Trustee Mr. Asif Khan visited VHS where he was warmly welcomed by the head Mrs. Sylvia Jones, the faculty and the students. He was presented with a shield that now proudly sits in PVPS's Principal's office.

thOn 19 December 2007 the first PVPS/VHS joint Christmas assembly was held. Thirteen students from different age groups from PVPS took par t . S tuden t s f rom bo th s ides enthusiastically took part in the planning. Valentines High School sixth formers recorded the event on video and are now in the process of producing a DVD for Pearl Valley students and staff.

KEF-United Kingdom

UK Schools / Pearl Valley School Partnerships

Joint Assembly

Pearl Valley School / Valentines High School

PVPS – VHS Joint AssembleyPVPS – VHS Joint Assembley

Principal VHS Trustee KEFPrincipal VHS Trustee KEF

KEF Annual Fund-raising Dinner

KEF-UK Chairman visit to DFID in Glasgow

This year's Annual Fund-raising Dinner was held in September at the Hilton, Bradford. Mr. Shahid Malik, Member of the House of Commons was guest of honour. Mr. Mohammed Sarwar MP was also present. KEF Chairman Maj. Gen. (R) M Rahim Khan and trustee Asif Khan travelled especially from Pakistan for the event. The Chairman thanked all the guests individually for their continued support for KEF over the years. Mr. Mussadhik Hussain, KEF-UK Chairman addressed six hundred and fifty guests, highlighting KEF's achievements over the past twelve months. This

year entertainment was provided by the famous Pakistani singer Mr. Asif Mehdi and a UK based Asian group. The evening was a great success.

KEF-UK chairman Mr. Mussadhik Hussain, accompanied by KEF-UK Trustees Mr. Raja Hanif, Mr. Abdul Qayyum and Mrs. Iffat Ferdinand recently visited the DFID in Glasgow, Scotland. The objective of the visit was to learn about DFID's funding programs specifically for Pakistan and to establish whether KEF met any of their criteria. It was a productive visit and as a result we plan to

KEF-UK Annual funding raising dinner in BradfordKEF-UK Annual funding raising dinner in Bradford


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Mr. Mussadhik Chairman KEF-UK

Mr. Mussadhik Chairman KEF-UK

Anna Finn, Mr. Shahid Malik, Joan Atkinson, Mohammad Sarwar, Rahim KhanAnna Finn, Mr. Shahid Malik, Joan Atkinson, Mohammad Sarwar, Rahim Khan

invite DFID in Islamabad to visit our projects some time in the near future.

Ever heard of these wonderful ladies – these unsung heroines of KEF who live in a small village in North West of England? Joan Boswell, the first PVPS principal attended a church in this village. Since 1996 the ladies of Bowden who are invisible to most of KEF tirelessly collect funds for KEF.

Hats off to you and a VERY BIG THANK YOU from all those children (and earth quake victims) whom you have helped – but whom you don't know and may never meet them in your lives.

The trustees of KEF and KEF-UK visited these magnificent ladies in September this year to thank them on behalf of KEF.

LADIES OF BOWDEN:


KEF plans to establish KEF chapters in USA, Canada, Middle East and Europe any assistance from friends and supporters regarding people who can assist KEF's cause would be most welcome.

KEF plans to establish KEF chapters in USA, Canada, Middle East and Europe any assistance from friends and supporters regarding people who can assist KEF's cause would be most welcome.

The notice board on the right is not that of Pearl Valley Public Schools in the remote part of Kashmir but is the notice board of a prestigious school in UK - St. Valentine High School in UK where they display proudly the partnership with PVPS

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KEF Trustees with ladies of BowdenKEF Trustees with ladies of Bowden

Documents

Newsletter Dec 2007