THREE city teachers helped a school in Pakistan beat regular power cuts.

Staff from Dunkirk Primary School visited their partner school – The Lahore Lyceum – over the February half-term break.

The schools have been working together on an environmental project and the visiting group helped install a solar panel.

It has helped stabilise its energy supply and improve efficiency.

The project is part of the Global School Partnerships programme.

Dunkirk Primary deputy head Asima Qureshi, who travelled to Pakistan, said: "Working to get the solar panel up and running was a real highlight of the visit.

"We've been exploring ways we can be more environmentally friendly in both our communities and we decided solar power was definitely going to be more effective in Lahore than Nottingham."

Ms Qureshi – with colleagues Jon Jenkins and Lisa Hayes – also used the visit to share stories and materials from their pupils with youngsters in Lahore.

Dunkirk pupils have kept up to date with activities in Pakistan via e-mail.

The trip was funded by UKaid, from the Department for International Development, and the Global School Partnerships scheme supports teachers and students from the UK to learn about global issues.

They create partnerships between schools here with counterparts in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The link between Dunkirk Primary and Lahore Lyceum was established through the British Council in 2002.

Ms Qureshi added: "With such a large population of British-born Pakistanis in our community, there was a real need to encourage people to see the country in a more positive light.

"The work we have been doing through the Global School Partnerships scheme has built understanding amongst pupils, teachers and parents and really helped to raise esteem amongst the Pakistani community here as a result."

Dunkirk Primary and Lahore Lyceum won the International School Award in recognition of their work together.

michael.greenwell@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk