ISLAMABAD, MAR 15 (DNA) — COMSTECH and Ida Rieu Schools launched special education teachers training program for OIC countries at COMSTECH Auditorium on Thursday. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General COMSTECH extended a very warm welcome to the team of Ida Rieu Schools.

 He thanked Ms. Nadira Panjwani, leading philanthropist and President of Ida Rieu Schools for joining hands with COMSTECH to serve the special education community across the OIC region. Prof. Choudhary gave a comprehensive presentation on the aims, objectives, programs and the scope of COMSTECH. He said that this new joint training program will serve the special education community in the 57 OIC states.

Prof. Choudhary said that Ida Riue Schools, established in 1921, are among the most prominent institutions in the special education of children with disabilities. This century old institution is now achieving new heights under the able, generous and passionate leadership of Nadira Panjwani sahiba, the President. We are grateful to Nadira Panjwani sahiba for her vision which made this joint program possible.

The chief guest of the launching ceremony, Ms. Nadira Panjwani, H.I., S.I., President Ida Rieu Schools said that this joint program will train the special education teachers in Muslim countries. She appreciated the Coordinator General COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary for bringing the idea of starting joint training program to serve the community of special education teachers across OIC states.

Ms. Panjwani said that lda Rieu Schools and colleges are run by the lda Rieu Welfare Association (IRWA). She informed that IRWA came into existence in 1922 in Karachi with the vision of imparting education and training to the blind and deaf children to make them useful citizens of community. She said that the mission is to nurture the intellectual and social skills of special children and enable them to cope with all challenges through education and training.

Talking about the establishment of IRWA, she informed that Lady Ida Augusta Rieu lived in Sindh until her death on 1st may, 1921. During her stay in Karachi and in Sindh, she devoted her life to various activities for social welfare. She was the moving spirit in the Ladies Associations, Maternity Homes, Children’s Nurseries, Widow’s Homes and Industrial Work for the Crippled.

She informed that a poor welfare association was her last scheme on which she was working before she passed away. She conceived the idea of amalgamating a school for Blind and Crippled with the poor asylum which did useful work in Karachi since 1872.

When she passed away a desire for suitable memorial was spontaneously expressed from all quarters in Sindh and it was decided to perpetuate her name by carrying out her scheme of a school for the blind and crippled combined with an industrial home for the poor.

Thus the ‘Ida Rieu Poor Welfare Association’ came into existence on 25th November, 1921 in Karachi with a view of imparting education and training to the blind, deaf and mute children to make them useful citizens of community.

The board member of Ida Rieu Schools, Ms. Rubica Raza gave a comprehensive presentation on the establishment, aims, objectives, activities of the Ida Rieu Schools. The ceremony was attended by the Ambassadors and the diplomats of Palestine, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Nigeria, and Kenya. — DNA