Project Sensitizes Over 900 Participants on the Subject

As a teacher, Arif Khan devoted his time and energy in nourishing the young minds with education and knowledge – both in and out of class.  However, he often wondered the reasons behind the gaps in learning abilities of his students.

“Being a teacher, it was hard for me to accept that some of my students were not reciprocating the same level of understanding as the others,” he adds.

As he weighed in on possible reasons behind the imprudent behavior, lack of attention, and lack of recall of some of his students, he came across a seminar on learning disabilities in students taking place at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar. He attended the seminar with 99 other teachers, parents, and students on November 10, 2016.

“I learned that a student with a learning disability may suffer from low self-esteem and resentment. This changes how we, as educators, play our role in imparting education to a classroom of students,” he adds.

For Anisa Shah, Legislative Fellowship alumna, what started off as a one-day chapter activity on “Learning disabilities in students” with teachers and parents, evolved into a two-month-long alumni small grants project engaging students, parents, and teachers from nine different schools, colleges, and universities in Peshawar, Khyber Pukhtonkhwa (K-P).  From October – November 2016, over 900 participants were sensitized on the issue of learning disabilities, including an interactive discussion that encouraged participants to come up with recommendations for working towards an inclusive method of learning.

“After the chapter activity, we had numerous requests for conducting awareness sessions on a larger scale by engaging a multitude of stakeholders from across Khyber Pukhtonkhwa,” reflects Shah.
This project was made possible with the help of an alumni small grant from the Pakistan-U. S. Alumni Network (PUAN). All alumni of various U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs in Pakistan are eligible to apply for the grant of up to $5,000 USD to enable them to give back to their communities.

Relinquishing Stereotypes on Learning Disabilities

22-year-old Umer Farooq, a student at a local university, had often heard being called null and dull by his peers. “The session helped me understand the learning difficulties I was facing and how we, my teachers, parents, and I, could overcome them,” he says, after attending the session.

The participants, selected in consultation with the educational institutes prior to the workshop series, included a diverse cross-section of educators and students from K-P. The sessions were designed to impart basic information on learning disabilities and the psychological stress it has on the child, followed by a group discussion to identify recommendations and share best practices.

One parent after the session commented, “I will never force my child to choose a subject that they do not like.”

Javeria Kashif, a student of Telecommunications Engineering, who was assisting Shah in the workshop adds, “These awareness sessions have changed my perception. It was alarming how most of us were unaware of learning disabilities and the impact of bullying on the students.”

For Shah, this project helped spread awareness on the presence of learning disabilities in students to 941 parents, students, and teachers. With the support of the District Administration, Peshawar and her team of volunteers, she was able to reach out to students, parents, and teacher in Islamia College for Boys and Girls, Bacha Khan College for Girls, Home Economics College for Girls, University of Engineering and Technology, University of Peshawar, University Model School, Shaheed Benazir Women University, and Cantonment schools.

“We need to stop making fun of students with learning disabilities and avoid the usage of words like dumb, dull, and stupid. It is important to boost their confidence and give them an environment that appreciates their skill,” says Shah.