HYDERABAD, July 10: The inauguration ceremony of three US-funded buildings for the faculty of education in separate universities of the province was held in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The United States is sponsoring the construction of three state-of-the art buildings for education faculties at Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, University of Karachi and the University of Sindh, Hyderabad.

Construction in Karachi and Khairpur has already begun while the ground-breaking ceremony for the Hyderabad building was performed by US consul general in Karachi Michael Dodman, USAID mission director Gregory Gottlieb and Hyderabad commissioner Jamal Mustafa Syed on Wednesday.

Over the next two years, the USAID will provide $40 million for the construction of 16 new faculties of education buildings throughout Pakistan. All buildings would be modern, environment-friendly, equipped with wireless internet and digital media libraries, according to a USAID statement.

They faculty buildings, to be used by more than 2,500 students and 200 faculty members every year, are being built for conducting for two new teachers education programmes designed by the USAID and the Higher Education Commission in 2010, besides issuing a two-year Associate Degree in Education (ADE) and a four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd Honours), said the statement.

Emphasising the long-term commitment of the US government to improve education in Pakistan, consul general Dodman said at the inauguration ceremony: “These new buildings will serve as a milestone in cooperation between the US and Pakistan for improving the profession of teaching. By preparing teachers better we are ensuring a better future for the children of Pakistan.” Acknowledging contributions of the US, commissioner Jamal Mustafa Syed said: “I am confident that a fundamental and far-reaching change has come in teachers education with new degree programmes introduced with the support of the USAID. Today’s ground-breaking ceremony of new faculty-of-education buildings at three of our best universities is testimony to our continued efforts and commitment to the improvement of education in our province.”

According to the USAID statement issued on Wednesday, construction of these buildings is part of a comprehensive education-assistance plan by the US for Pakistan. The USAID is working currently working with 110 universities and teachers-training colleges across the country to initiate these programmes.

Since 2009, said the statement, the United States has rebuilt or rehabilitated more than 600 schools, sponsored 10,000 university scholarships and trainings for 12,000 teachers and expanded English-language skills for more than 5,000 deserving students.