 |
It was a perfect match for two schools that embrace a strong sporting culture, and the highlight of this partnership was when a pair of teenagers from Pakistan Scout Cadet College, spent a week in the UK teaching the popular South Asian sport Kabaddi to the students of Lordswood Boys School, England. British youngsters with Pakistani heritage often know nothing about South Asian games such as Kabaddi. By introducing them to it, the Pakistani students not only helped them celebrate their South Asian roots, but also helped non-Asian students gain a better perspective of world culture. The Pakistani students shared books, brochures and CDs with their UK counterparts to help them learn more about Pakistani culture. At the end of the visit, they organized a Kabaddi festival which had crowds of local children pitching in for a roaring good time. |
|
|
|
|
The festival received enormous appreciation from the Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham, and was covered extensively in newspapers such as the Birmingham Mail and Batrasi Newsletter.
Conserving energy is a pressing issue world-wide, and students of Lyceum school brainstormed with students of St Thomas RC Primary School, Scotland to figure out how to keep people from wasting electricity in their countries.
To gather material, the Pakistani students set off on a 5-hour journey to Head Baloki Canal and Mangla Dam to see one of Pakistan’s largest power plants, and a representative from Energy Bridge Corporation visited their school to discuss how to save electricity.
The students learned what carbon footprints are, how human activities damage the environment, and how greenhouse gases are produced. The project had such an impact that students vowed to always turn off unnecessary lights, unplug phone chargers when not in use, and use electrical appliances as little as possible. They wrapped up the project by holding an Electricity-Free day where they used alternative means of power to go about doing daily activities, and to symbolise their shared learning experience, the students printed their own footprints on T-shirts which were exchanged between the two schools.
|
|
|
|
For most students at tiny Bab-ul-Ilm school watching television is the usual – and unhealthy – pastime. Thus, Bab-ul-Ilm teamed up with Linacre Primary School, Scotland to get students involved in sports, despite being so small it doesn’t even have a playground. To champion the cause, Bab-ul-Ilm printed sporting slogans on notebooks and roped in other local schools to play popular traditional sports. Doctors and professors spoke on the benefits of sports, while art contests, cultural shows and fancy dress shows kept things lively. Students (and parents!) threw themselves wholeheartedly into the Mini Olympics, and every last detail was captured on DVD to send to their friends at Linacre. Meanwhile, Linacre made their own DVD so that Pakistani students could learn about popular British sports such as rugby, baseball and short-tennis. The Connecting Classrooms grant allowed Bab-ul-Ilm to purchase a Wii FIT – an activity device for disabled people who cannot play regular sports. Bal-ul-Ilm is the first school in Sheikupura to use such modern equipment and the students, teachers and parents are very pleased about this. Said one teacher, “Our students are proud and more confident; and it is a big achievement to be linked with the UK!”
|
|
The project has not yet started because of security issues in Peshawar; however the partner schools plan to begin as early as possible.
As in most of the other partnerships, this project will use sports to link two cultures and communities with each other.
The students will research sporting heroes in their countries, and write biographies on them to share with their counterparts. They plan to use the local football team in a campaign to raise awareness of the health and social benefits of sports. Skipping ropes will be purchased for each participating school thus increasing opportunities for regular physical activity for both adults and children.
The partnership promises improved global awareness as many parents of British schoolchildren have very strong family links with Pakistan. This will enhance community cohesion within our own country and internationally, emphasize cultural identity and make for stronger links.
|
