Plymouth State University has welcomed its sixth delegation of Pakistani educational leaders for an intensive professional development institute with the goal of making them agents of change in their home country.

The Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute helps participants learn about American innovations in education so they can be adapted and applied in Pakistan. This year's Institute is host to 20 Pakistani educators, 11 women and nine men, who were selected to participate based on their leadership capabilities, according to Blakeman Allen, director of the Institute.

The participants represent a cross section of educators from university-level professors to those teaching in tribal schools.

Before and after the institute, project activities in Pakistan are coordinated and facilitated by in-country partner Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA).

Institute alumni act in an advisory capacity to the project and assist in institute design and development, explained Blakeman, who said the institute now has 100 alumni in Pakistan. This year's institute runs from July 4 through Aug. 1.

The United States Department of State and institutional stakeholders in the United States and Pakistan provide additional collaboration.

The goal of the institute is to engage Pakistani educators and administrators by developing and honing the leadership skills necessary to direct educational initiatives and effect change in their home country.

According to statistics compiled by ITA, the institute alumni who act as master trainers in Pakistan have trained over 100,000 colleagues.

Zaki, who teaches at a government-run high school, is on his first visit to the U.S. and said he was surprised by how friendly people were and how many resources they have and are willing to share. The participants' last names are being withheld to protect them against any potential political repercussions when they return.

"I don't feel we are in a foreign country that is a surprise to me," he said.

He said he was especially taken by the fact that American motorists stop when they see a pedestrian on the crosswalk. Crossing the road in Pakistan when traffic is moving is a life-risking pursuit, he said.

He said he was also excited about being able to stay in touch via e-mail with the teachers he's met during his stay at PSU.

Naseem said she too was surprised that the American people are "so loving and caring."

"I don't feel homesickness in America," she said.

She said while she respects the cross-cultural differences between herself and Americans, she said she sees more similarities than differences between the two nations.

In her home country female enrollment in schools substantially outpaces that of men, she said.

During her stay at PSU, she said she was impressed by the art education component of the program and was excited about bringing some of those experiences of singing and dancing to help engage students in a subject.

"I believe the U.S. and Pakistan can become more together friends," she said, joining her hands together.

Talat, a professor at the Federal College of Education in Islamabad, said the trip to PSU was a homecoming of sorts, as he was educated at the University of Pittsburgh.

"It was like coming home after 20 years," he said.

Talat said the alumni of the program bring their learning back to their home country and put it to good use.

"What I want to do is to develop a better and effective collaboration and follow-up of the activities back home," he commented. While the local program is short in duration at just three weeks, it is intense and centers on three core areas literacy, conflict management and science, he explained.

He said the Pakistani people are "very keen on learning new approaches to education."

Sima, who comes from the county's frontier region in a tribal area, said where she works the literacy rate is very low, especially among women. She is excited about being exposed to the latest learning and methodologies in that area and feels confident that once she returns to Pakistan she will be able to apply that knowledge to help make a difference.

Munir, who offers technical support to teachers in Pakistan, said the trip is a golden opportunity for him to help develop his own teaching skills. He said he too was surprised by how frequently people smile and are friendly and pleasant.

He said he was especially interested in learning conflict resolution techniques, as the government is expected to require it as part of the national curriculum in the coming years.

Amra said this visit marked her first trip to the U.S., but because she comes from a city she feels she has been in touch with Americans via tourism and the media. What surprised her most are what good listeners both the professors and people from the community have been.

She said conflict resolution was a new topic for her and she was expecting a lot from a scheduled three-and-a-half day session about it.

Kausar, who teaches special education teachers in Pakistan, said she too was impressed with the one-day seminar on using arts in education.

"It is a powerful tool for all children to be able to express themselves," she said.

Shahida, who comes from a very rural area in Pakistan and teaches science and is also a computer instructor, said she has 60 students in her classroom at home.

She said resources such as globes or even maps to teach social studies are scarce and that it is difficult to engage children with only textbooks to work with.

"I'm really very excited that when we go back we will have activities that will be able to motivate students," she said.

Courtesy Photo/Plymouth State University Members of the Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute (PELI) gather at a tea ceremony offered by PSU President Sara Jayne Steen.