Education

Teacher Education Project

Period	April 2011 - October 2013
Funding *	$37,000,000
Location(s)	Nationwide

Project Description

This project (formerly known as Pre-Service Teacher Education Program, or Pre-STEP) focuses on the improvement of teacher education programs through the standardization of pre-service teacher education and training prior to entering the classroom. The program directly impacts new and practicing teachers by helping them gain revised and advanced teaching qualifications. The Teacher Education Program works in close partnership with the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the provincial departments of education, and teacher training institutions. It is raising the academic standards in teacher education programs at 15 Pakistani universities and 75 teacher colleges. The changes at these universities will serve as a catalyst for establishing a new level of academic standards in teacher education programs in Pakistan.

Results To Date

• New two-year associate and four-year bachelor degrees in education introduced
• National and provincial steering committees on teacher standards and accreditation formed, headed by appropriate education secretaries
• More than 600 scholarships for study towards associate degree in education awarded
• Proposed guidelines for teacher education adopted by the Higher Education Commission
• National Education Research and Evaluation System (NERES) established to inform education policy decisions through research
• Research on educational policy at 20 institutions supported 
• Eight Pakistani teachers sent to the U.S. to pursue doctoral degrees in education 

* Funding reflects Congressionally-appropriated funds provided for the project to date.

Last updated January 19, 2012