Childhood obesity was one of the issues raised when teachers from Pakistan met their counterparts in Bradford as part of a major international education programme aimed at helping students to become responsible global citizens.

Run by the British Council and the Department for International Development, the programme involved teachers from Peshawar in Pakistan visiting Green Lane Primary School in Manningham to see how things are done locally.

The programme, Connecting Classrooms, involves teachers hearing about the benefits of the international partnerships, which aim to help pupils learn how to develop skills to work in a global economy.

Connecting Classrooms will support 5,634 schools in the UK and overseas to form partnerships, train 15,000 teachers and more than 3,000 school leaders, and allow 31,000 schools in the UK and worldwide to collaborate online.

The partnerships will also build mutual understanding and trust between the UK and Pakistan.

Teachers heard about the range of support on offer, including grants, and learned about the experiences of local schools that have already linked up with Pakistani schools. They have been in Bradford since Saturday and leave tomorrow.

Green Lane head teacher Kevin Holland said: “The Connecting Classroom link between Bradford and Peshawar has been hugely beneficial to both teachers and pupils.

“The project has enabled a bridge across geographical boundaries and allowed interaction between classrooms across the globe.”

Since 2008, the school has built a strong friendship with partner schools in Peshawar which has led to it being given an International Schools Award.

Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member responsible for education, said: “It is a two-way learning curve. The teachers were a bit shocked at some of our issues around childhood obesity because children in Pakistan have a much healthier diet.”

The programme is funded by the British Council and UK aid. The British Council will commit £25.9 million over three years to work across the globe. The UK Government will additionally contribute £17m.

e-mail: dolores.cowburn@telegraphandargus.co.uk