Bridge Partner Success Story | Worldwide Education FundBridge Partner Success Story

Over time, the need for a more comprehensive approach became clear and WEF began exploring opportunities to equip teachers of English with quality training, which has the potential to reach even more children. “As WEF expands its operations, it recognizes the need for a comprehensive approach to English language education, not only focusing on direct interventions with students but also by equipping existing teachers with the necessary language skills,” said Samina Hussain, WEF Program Manager Chitral Operations.

“As WEF expands its operations, it recognizes the need for a comprehensive approach to English language education, not only focusing on direct interventions with students but also by equipping existing teachers with the necessary language skills.”

- Samina Hussain, WEF Program Manager Chitral Operations

In Pakistan, teaching resources vary significantly depending on the location, type of school, socioeconomic status, and government policies, but there are some common characteristics of teaching environments across the country that pose significant barriers to effective teaching and learning. “In rural areas like Chitral, schools often grapple with inadequate infrastructure, including insufficient classrooms, lack of electricity, etc.,” Samina said.

Many low-income private schools and government-run schools have limited access to resources, such as teaching aids and technology. “This lack of resources hampers the delivery of quality education and limits students’ exposure to modern learning tools,” she said, adding that “Pakistan grapples with a shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in low-income private schools and government-run schools.”

Lastly, there are limited opportunities for teacher training and professional development, limited access to technology, and little exposure to native English speakers and English-speaking environments. With little access to quality training and professional development opportunities, English teachers are in need of access to comprehensive training and ongoing support to enhance their teaching skills. Today, WEF is actively working to improve the teaching contexts in Pakistan through collaborative efforts that work to address the multifaced challenges facing the education system in Pakistan.

Solution

Targeted Teacher Training

“As WEF expands its operations, it recognizes the need for a comprehensive approach to English language education, not only focusing on direct interventions with students but also by equipping existing teachers with the necessary language skills.”

- Maggie de Oliveira, Teacher and Institutional Relations Manager at Bridge

Samina shared that the decision to seek partnership with Bridge was driven by the desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students in underserved communities. “By providing teacher training, we aimed to indirectly impact more students, even if we couldn’t reach the child directly,” Samina said. “Our strategy involves empowering teachers with the language skills they need to effectively teach English to their students.” Through the partnership, WEF teachers gained access to free Micro-credential courses. The Teaching English Pronunciation Micro-credential was identified as the course that best met teacher’s needs, and Bridge then supported teachers through the enrollment process and additional course guidance, while WEF provided the platform and necessary technology support for teachers taking the course. WEF also organized weekly reflection sharing sessions and provided teachers with practicum opportunities to apply their learning at their in-school language labs.

“This project aligns with Bridge’s mission to provide affordable, accessible, and accredited professional development to the global English teacher,” said Maggie de Oliveira, Bridge Teacher and Institutional Relations Manager. “Our partnership with WEF is invaluable to expanding our mission.”

So far, 21 teachers have received quality English language skills and classroom management training. “We are excited to witness the transformation in teaching practices, the enthusiasm among educators, and ultimately, the positive outcomes for students as they gain access to enhanced learning opportunities,” Samina said.

Results

Elevating the Standard of Education

High satisfaction among program participants has provided fresh inspiration to continue and expand the partnership between WEF and Bridge. The successful completion of English language teacher training coursework by trainees, who earned Micro-credential certificates, marks a significant milestone in professional development in a region that has limited access to this type of training. Many program participants were at the beginner level of English proficiency and greatly benefited from the training, particularly insights into English pronunciation.

“This course has been immensely helpful in improving my pronunciation of everyday words,” said Fakhruddin, a program participant. “I learned how to correctly stress and unstress syllables, which has had a noticeable impact on my language skills.”

Samina noted that teachers gained not only valuable insights into English pronunciation, but also important technology training. The program facilitated a deeper understanding of correct pronunciation, a crucial aspect of language instruction,”“ she said. “Additionally, for many teachers, this was their first experience with online self-paced courses. This not only helped them become more comfortable with technology but encouraged them to explore other digital resources to enrich their learning.”

Teacher holding up Bridge certificate and smiling

“I learned how to correctly stress and unstress syllables, which has had a noticeable impact on my language skills.”

- Fakhruddin Taj, WEF Chitral Program Participant

“For many teachers, this was their first experience with online self-paced courses. This not only helped them become more comfortable with technology but encouraged them to explore other digital resources to enrich their learning.”

- Samina Hussain, WEF Program Manager Chitral Operations

Impact

Empowering Educators to Make a Lasting Difference

Based on the success of the program, WEF sees opportunities for further partnership with Bridge to reach even more teachers and their students. “WEF is particularly excited about the prospect of expanding our collaboration to reach even more educators and students, thereby extending the benefits of quality training and resources to a wider audience,” Samina said.

By providing English language development to teachers, WEF will be able to reach even more students. “Ultimately, we believe that by investing in the professional development of teachers, we can amplify our impact and create lasting change in educational environments facing challenges,” Samina said. The Bridge partnership will continue to support this mission. “We are very pleased to be able to continually support WEF in the organization’s initiative to provide quality professional development to the educators who serve these communities.”

WEF plans to explore additional ways to enhance program offerings and address the evolving needs of the teachers within this community. “We are excited to continue our journey as a Bridge partner,” she said, z “striving towards our shared goal of transforming education and empowering educators to make a lasting difference in the lives of students.”

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Changing Lives: Worldwide Education Fund Partnership With Bridge Equips Low-Resource Teachers With Quality ELT Training

Challenge

A Mission for Change

“As WEF expands its operations, it recognizes the need for a comprehensive approach to English language education, not only focusing on direct interventions with students but also by equipping existing teachers with the necessary language skills.”