Enhancing Girls Enrolment in Remote Areas of Pakistan
“ENHANCING GIRLS ENROLMENT
IN REMOTE AREAS OF PAKISTAN”
School Improvement Project of
OXFAM GB
in collaboration with
Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA)
Address:
67-A, Abid Majeed Road, Lahore
Tel: (92-42) 6689831-2
Fax:(92-42) 66672515
Email:
Website: www.itacec.org
Overview of the Project
ITA’s Collaboration with Oxfam GB for School Improvementin South Punjab and Sindh
Name of Project: / Enhancing Girls Enrolment in Remote Areas of Pakistan
Project Goal / To Improve Access and Quality of Primary Education for Girls
Project Purpose / Creating Enabling Environment for Girls Education through Social Mobilization and Capacity Building of Stakeholders
Key Components of the Project / 1. Physical Renovation / Rehabilitation of target schools with the provision of furniture
2. Provision of Teaching & Learning Materials
3. Provision of 40 Para teachers as per need and Professional Development of Teachers through 20 days intensive Training Sessions
4. Formation and Strengthening of SCs/SMCs through Trainings
5. Personal & Social Health & Hygiene Awareness Program for Teachers, Students and SMC members
6. Participation of Children in School Improvement Activities
7. District Education Planning & Strengthening of District Department of Education
8. Policy & Advocacy for sustainability of Quality and Access.
Donor / Dubai Care
Guarantee / Oxfam GB
Implementing Partner: / Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) Public Trust Pakistan
Project location:
Target Districts: / Total 185 Public Sector Girls Primary Schools comprising 35 WSIP Model Schools and 150 Cluster Schools in 4 districts of South Punjab
1. Jhang (Punjab)
2. Multan (Punjab)
3. Muzzafargarh (Punjab)
4. Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab)
Duration: / 3 years (April 01, 2008 – December 31, 2010)
Project Beneficiaries: / Direct Beneficiaries: (Conservative Assumption)
30,000 children, 400 teachers 370 SC/SMC members & 250,000 community members
Indirect Beneficiaries:
Community at large comprising wide range of parents, teachers, children, local CBOs, other partner organizations, district governments/Department of Education etc.
Project Location, Districts and Total No. of Target Schools:
Total 185 Primary Schools (Public Sector Girls Primary Schools comprising 35 WSIP
Model Schools and 150 Cluster Schools in 4 districts of South Punjab
1. Jhang (Punjab)
2. Multan (Punjab)
3. Muzzafargarh (Punjab)
4. Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab)
Major Outputs of the Project:
· 35 girls’ primary schools are physically rehabilitated for a Child Friendly & Safe Learning Environment.
· Availability of 40 Para teachers as per need and teaching / learning materials in all 35 target schools
· 400 Teachers of 185 schools are provided intensive training in content mastery, child friendly teaching, outcome based methodologies and gender sensitive approaches.
(400 teachers trained -- 3 teachers from each 35 WSIP schools and 2 teachers from each 150 cluster schools)
· 185 School Management Committees (SMCs) / School Councils in selected communities are gender-sensitized, functional and have basic skills to fulfill their roles and responsibilities and school council functions including timely resource mobilization and action.
(370 SC members trained -- 2 SC members trained from all 185 schools)
· Teachers, students, SMC members have enhanced awareness about preventive measures of common diseases through Health Awareness and Life Skills Program in 35 WSIP schools
(All 185 schools will be encouraged and involved in developing healthy habits and life skills)
· Children participating in School Improvement through School Enrichment Activities, Summer School and students’ councils established in 35 WSIP schools
(All students of total 185 schools will be encouraged to participate in school enrichment and co curricular activities)
· Catch up Program of recent drop outs in target schools in afternoons for mainstreaming
· Links established & Strengthened with District Government and District Education Committees formed.
· Policy and Education Financing through advocacy
Baselines for Tracking Performance & Improvements
· Baseline Survey of schools has conducted (pictorial and video profiles maintained).
· 35 target schools in selected UCs of 4 districts of South Punjab and Sindh with the help of education department of each district have been identified.
· The key areas of baseline assessments were: Physical infrastructure, learning environment; learning levels; teachers’ training need assessment. (Complete baseline for 35 schools and 25% sampling for the remaining 150 schools).
· Baselines will be conducted from July 2008 to September 2008.
· These will become the basis for Project Monitoring Plan (PMP).
· Tracking of key indicators, enrolment, attendance, learning achievements and gender will be undertaken annually and End Project Impact Evaluation against 2008 baselines.
Program Plan:
Key Actors:
· The key actors in implementation of project activities will be:
- District Government and Department of Education
- Education Department at Provincial Level
- ITA and partner organizations.
· In each district (Jhang, Multan, Muzzafargarh and Rahim Yar Khan at least one room is required in any accessible high school or other govt. building in each district as resource center/operations for managing all program components
Project Teams:
1. District Lahore (Head Quarter) 5 members Team
2. District Jhang (Central Hub) 5 members Team
3. District Multan (Central Hub) 6 members Team
4. District Muzzafargarh (Sub Hub) 3 members Team
5. District Rhaim Yar Khan (Central Hub) 3 members Team
All supported by District Partners
Principles of Practice:
1. Total adherence to Government Policies/Systems and initiatives in the provision of missing facilities and training of teachers, SC/SMC members
2. Complete sharing of all information and work plans on quarterly basis with EDO Education and District Govt.
3. Quarterly Progress Reports and performance outputs shared with district and provincial focal person
4. Support from Province and District to ensure that all target schools in districts are provided mainstream budget and planning support for sustainability of interventions through this project
“Regenerating Schools…
Regenerating Communities”
ITA’s Whole School Improvement Program (WSIP)
ITA's WSIP focuses on revitalizing under-performing public schools through Public Private Partnerships with a vision “Regenerating Schools - Regenerating Communities”, or connecting communities with schools and vice versa in a healthy relationship of mutual learning. The very idea is to encourage specific linkages between the public and private sectors enabling transformation of dysfunctional government schools into viable, self sustained and quality driven education sites. It is also an endeavor to find willing custodians ('waris') amongst the community for fully owning and defending the transformation for sustainability.
How does community participate in ITA’s Government School Improvement Programs...?
ITA’s Whole School Improvement Program has a phase wise approach from the first meeting of hopes and fear and activity based session on students’ aspirations to the calling of a general body (GB) meeting. ITA’s field team move out into the communities to introduce themselves, mobilize parents for support providing the reasons for why they are in the neighborhood and in the school. The GB which culminates on the formation or reconstitution of school council as prescribed by the Government. At this point ITA’s representatives deliver the orientation on School Council (SC) and its structure. After the brief introduction and structure of School Council (SC) the participants are requested to offer their services voluntarily by becoming the members of School Council (SC) for the School Improvement. Majority of the participants get excited and they offer their services. ITA’s representatives list the names of some most active participants as School Council (SC) members. Later, with proper guidance, motivation and cooperation, these school councils transform into Vigilance Committees and ultimately offer itself as the real “waris” of the schools. SIP team promotes the sense of ownership and motivates the local community for the indispensable need of educating their sons and daughters and above all to own the school to take care it.
In order to build the capacity building of all stakeholders, school council training involves the capacity building of the head teachers, teachers and school councils.
M&E:
Monitoring exercises in formal schools are designed to assess the performance and quality of inputs being provided by the program for further improvement. These monitoring exercises are designed according to the indicators developed according to the needs assessment of the schools. Results of these monitoring exercises are eventually fed into monthly progress reports and quarterly progress reports that are reported to the department of education and donors on regular basis..
Methodology:
Monitoring exercises in formal schools is process of collecting qualitative data from primary sources. Assessment involves observation of teachers / students in classrooms, teacher / student tests, assessment of classroom environment, and opinions of teachers / students regarding education and the teaching-learning process. District Jhang is the best example of Public Private Partnership in Education as one AEO (m) and one AEO (f) are the active member of M&E Unit of School Improvement Program Team. Not only teachers’, students’ attendance, retention, drop-out rate, learning achievements, annual results, teaching methodologies, lesson/curriculum planning, timetabling, classroom management/inner environment, involvement in co-curricular activities, students’ portfolios, head teachers’ managerial strategies, annual school development planning, official records, school council meetings/ record keeping are assessed meticulously and reported to the coordinator program who future reassures the performance through school visits and school council meetings. In order to analyze the exact status of the progress/implementation of the program, data is collected through classroom observation, interviews, open dialogues in general body meetings, school council meeting, FGDs and PRA techniques. On a more wider level, various forums as “Rethinking Education Series” are the part of M&E to influence policy/advocacy at national level.
Problems Addressed:
i- Increase in enrolment in the Primary/ Middle/ High classes
ii- Decrease in drop out rate and conspicuous increase in Students’ retention
iii- Positive transformation in terms of infrastructural development and quality of education.
iv- More effective school development planning and functional school councils
v- Site/need based training, subject based trainings and capacity building workshops for teachers and head teachers.
vi- Community participation.
vii- More sustained liaison between the directorate of education and school managements.
Target Group/ Beneficiaries:
i- Primary / Middle / High school age boys/girls and male/female teachers. With up graded classes, students and teachers and SMC members are the direct beneficiaries of the project.
ii- Indirect beneficiaries are the parents, families of the students, local community and the society at large.
Strategic Advocacy in Programs
Advocacy has Three Pillars
Pillar One:
Closest to Community & Social Mobilization
Influencing change at local level with local communities to change attitudes and behavior .. to mobilize local community for action within and outside :
Within = inside personal selves and families/ homes ..to send girls to schools ; to abstain from sending to work ; refrain from corporal punishment ; refrain from local customs on the basis of reason that puts children, girls and women to risk.
Outside= Mobilizing support and reasons for their change at local levels with extended families, groups at local level and local influentials including elected representatives
Mechanisms/Tools: Meetings in local community ; corner and school/centre meetings ‘; CCBs, SMCs, VECs, Meeting with Local UC Nazims/Imams/Social Workers – siyanas the wise ones in the locality ..
Mode: Street theatre, rallies, walks, signature campaigns, petititions, dialogues, role plays.. posters and dialogues, local radio stations
Case Studies, evidence of practice and issues, citizens report cards, childrens’ demands.. etc.
Pillar Two:
the Intermediate or Meso level - mobilizing influence with organized groups.. building mass
Lobby for change with organized groups eg. NGOs – Alliances eg PCE, Networks, Media, Human Rights and Lawyers forums, Teachers Unions, Trade Unions, Industry, Departments of Education field formations, Local Nazims
Objective is to mobilize/advocate for collaboration in common interests to achieve a change .. for a cause at a higher level to influence Policy, Priorities, Laws, Budgets,
This level is important to give voice and gain critical mass to meet your goals/targets by mobilizing support groups who are influential and represent strong numbers
Mechanisms/Tools:
Joint rallies, declarations and demands in an organized manner ensuring clear positions from legal /institutional point of view..
Organizational alliances with campaigns to combine strength etc. Strategic alliances for a cause.. eg. Judiciary, Salaries and status of teachers, violence against children/women , price hikes … building pressure
Talk shows, rallies, joint meetings with decision makers, written public demands in media and to policy makers
Pillar Three:
Effecting Change through Action and Advocacy
Working at this level with : Elected Representatives, District, Provincial and National Level , Parliamentary Committees, National Senate Standing Committees
Large Media Groups/Personalities; Ministers & Prime Minister, President, Senators and at times International Global partners – G8; E9; Paris Club, Human Rights Watch Groups – Rapporteurs- Geneva ; New York ; Amnesty International;
Objective is to : Change Laws, policies, allocations and take immediate action against injustice… eg. Alignment on International Conventions; National Laws on age of the child; Trafficking; Quality of Education by raising teachers qualifications, salaries and training.
Mechanisms/Tools:
High Level Petitions; Special Dialogues, Assembly special sessions ; Special Media Prime Time Mobilization;
Rallies in Capital Cities; Large Media Campaigns…
ITA has been engaged in all of the above including Childrens Session in the NA with the Prime Minister two years in a row and other Ministers.
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Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi Public Trust (ITA)