School Outreach Tour

The School Outreach Tour (SOT) is a unique initiative launched by CAP. The program works with students in low-income schools to develop a culture of tolerance, critical thinking and an understanding of the country s history and heritage.

A research study conducted by CAP in five government schools in early 2009 concluded that students needed to develop critical thinking skills and gain broader perspectives because current teaching methods relied heavily on rote learning and the curriculum imparted a narrow world view.

In response to the research, CAP is developing a curriculum which uses non-traditional mediums creating Imagination Stations and taking children on a time traveling adventure to the birth of Pakistan and its early years, using material from our archive such as oral histories, archival video footage, photographs, newspapers, letters, official correspondence and other such archival material. The Imagination Stations feature 3-D images of historical photographs, cartoons and animations, film screenings, quizzes, interactive art activities, puppet shows, debates and discussions. The response has been tremendous with more than twenty schools in line for our Imagination Stations.

The CAP team has worked with over 2500 students in government schools and It is our hope that hearing first person accounts, watching videos and having the opportunity to ask questions will allow students to have a better perception of who they are as Pakistanis. By starting a productive dialogue about the nation's past, CAP hopes to influence school curriculums, teaching methods and textbooks for the next generation of Pakistanis.