ISLAMABAD: Pakistan`s first-ever centre for promotion of early education skills and healthy development of children was inaugurated on Wednesday.

Children`s Global Network (Pakistan) in collaboration with Open Society and Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training set up the centre here at the Academy of Education Planning and Management (A EPAM).

State Minister for Education and Professional Training Engineer Balighur Rehman inaugurated the centre.

Speaking on the occasion, he said this centre would play an important role in creating awareness among parents and teachers about early education and development of children.

`We need to make a greater investment in planning and research,` the minister said and added that the government will declare an education emergency in the country very soon. The centre will coordinate with all government and nongovernmental organisations, which are working on early child development.

Mehnaz Aziz, chief executive officer for Children`s Global Network, said millionsof children under the age of hve years were unable to meet their development potential because of poverty and ill health.

`There are eight million children in Pakistan, under the age of five who are unable to meet their development poten-tial due to absolute poverty. Ignorance of parents about early childhood education and development means that the situation is worsening,` she said. She said a child is born with 100 billion brain cells and by age of three, 80 per cent of synaptic connec-tions are made.

`Early relationships affect the architecture of the brain and have a permanent effect on its development, health, and later mental health.

Professor Dr Tabish Hazir, a child specialist, said malnutrition in the country was unacceptably high and the situation had deteriorated in the last 10 years.

He said infant and young child feeding practices directly affected the nutritional status of children under two years of age and impacted children`s overall growth.

`The exclusive breastfeeding rate in our country is only 37 per cent,` he said.

He said improper feeding practices and food insecurity were the major reasons for malnutrition in Pakistan.

`The response to the massive problem of malnutrition in our country is inadequate, he said.

Dr Hazir added that there is a need to create public awareness of the importance and impact of nutrition in the social and economic development of the society.

Ms. Vibeke Jensen, director Unesco, appreciated the establishment of the centre. Additional Secretary of Education Ministry, Allah Bal