More than 9000 students from various schools including special children attended the Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) here at Government Muslim High School and were educated about the cultural, literary heritage as well as history of the county.
The children were filled with ideas, happiness of learning as fun and many new experiences including attending a live concert of Sufi songs.
Taimur Rahman a professor, political activist musician mobilized them interactively for social messages and poetry.
The children walked into the mobile Alif Laila Book Bus Library to read and feel books.
They made clay money and heard the stories of numeracy by the State Bank of Pakistan Museum team.
They made their own digital stories and learnt Internet Safety by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aaghai (ITA teams).
They made their own books in the art of book making sessions and creative reading activities were also held.
They learnt how to make paper horses or crafts and also went to many interactive stalls on pottery as living heritage from Multan and Harrappa.
Many of the children shared their own poetry, music, prose and theatre at te ‘Bol Kay Lab Azaad Hain’ session. They relished the book stalls of OUP, National Book Foundation and Pearsons!.
The Chief Guest Additional Commissioner Multan appreciated the efforts of organizers who focused that learning must be beyond textbooks and examinations.
It is to mention that CLF is the largest learning festival for children in Pakistan which began in 2011. It is open to many more always who want to support this cause to improve learning outcomes of our children and youth in Pakistan. The CLF seeks many supporters and wants it to be part of the annual school calendar of each school in Pakistan. A Toolkit has been designed with the support of the Govt. of Sindh, School Education & Literacy Department for school-based CLFs as well.
Others who visited the CLF included Shakir Hussain Shakir, Chief Education Officer (CEO-DEA) Multan,. Zeeshan Siddique (Coordinator Projects OXFAM), Islam Siddique Ex-DPI and Educator, Fakhar Javed (DEO Special Education), Sajjad Jahania Director Arts Council, Mr. Khurram (Secretary General) and Mrs. Sarwat Bukhari (Chairperson Women Entrepreneurship) from Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
The children left beaming and asking for more expressing that this was the best learning day for them.
