Project Description
UNICEF launched Every Child in School Initiative (ECISI) programme with the support of USAID. Implementation of the programme commenced in 2014 and was completed in 2016.
The initiative was implemented in 50 selected districts of three provinces of Pakistan i.e. Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA region. Primary purpose of the programme was to increase enrolment and ensure retention of the children in public schools. In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, various interventions were planned and implemented. The Program successfully enrolled 1.46 Million children (including 45% girls) in 2012-13. 1.68 Million (including 46% girls) in 2013-14 and 1.55 million children (including 46% girls) in 2014-15. In order to synthesize the best practices of these interventions a specific study was conducted in sample districts.
Summary of each of the interventions w-r-t planning, implementation, output and lessons learned etc. is as follows.
School Development Plan intervention, was implemented in ten educationally low-profile districts of Balochistan province. The main objective of the intervention was to provide the missing facilities in public sector schools. The intervention was planned in consultation with concerned stakeholders. The major activities implemented included: capacity building and activation of PTSMCs; construction of boundary walls (251), class rooms (1125) and wash rooms (618); provision of water and beautification of schools. Furthermore, learning corners and child clubs were established. The intervention is sustainable and is being replicated in other low-profile schools of the province. Activation and involvement of PTSMCs can play an effective role in improving and maintaining the school facilities as well as mobilizing the communities for educational development of children. It would have been better if the standards for provision of physical facilities and services were followed. Secondly, quality improvement measures should also be made essential part of the SDP.
In order to mobilize and sensitize parents and communities for child education, Broad Based Community Meetings were conducted in the intervention districts of Punjab and Balochistan. These meetings were conducted in the localities where problem of child non-enrollment was acute. Community elders and influential(s) were invited to these meetings along with parents and community members. Post BBCM awareness walks and door to door visits were the key activities conducted during implementation of this intervention. A total number of 1900 BBCMs were held in Punjab and 1,061 in Balochistan during the project period. BBCMs were helpful in raising awareness amongst parents and community about the importance of child education.
Out of School Children (OOSC) Baseline Survey intervention was carried out in ten low education profile districts of Punjab province. Through this survey data about all the children from age group 0 to 16 years was collected. The database of children surveyed was created at respective school as well as district level. This database helped in identifying the OOSC in each locality of the district. The said database also included the reasons of children being OOS as well as the socio-economic status of their parents. OOSC data was used for enrollment campaigns at school level. Enrollment campaigns were effectively conducted in all the intervention districts and enrollment targets were over achieved. The said database is continued to be used for planning enrollment drives.
Six-Step Process Intervention was implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The main objective of this intervention was to bring back to school the children who were already dropped out or at the risk of dropping out. Those who were involved in the implementation of the six-step process included: peer child, teacher, community volunteer, PTSMC, community and DEO. Main activities carried out under this intervention were training of head teacher/teachers, selection of suitable community volunteers, development of daily school score card (GOSHWARA) and improve the school environment to make it joyful and attractive for children. More than 90% children who were enrolled in schools of KP and FATA were retained during the project period. Six-step process is not only sustainable but also replicable. It is still continued in many districts of KP and FATA. This intervention is very cost effective and successful.
Advocacy and Media Campaigns were launched in sixteen districts of KP, six agencies and four frontier regions of FATA. A large number of children were out of school due to lack of awareness of parents, illiteracy and socio-cultural barriers especially against the education of girl child. Target was to enroll about 0.64 million primary age group OOS children and bring back to school about 20% of the children who were dropped out due to various reasons. The intervention supported enrollment campaigns of education department i.e. “Aaoo Bachoo School Chaloo (Children, Lets Go to School)” and “Each One Reach One”. The activities carried out were: orientation sessions for teachers and community volunteers; BBCMs (8700 conducted); development, dissemination and airing of advocacy material; and distribution of school bags, uniforms and shoes to 17000 children including 40% girls. More than one million children were enrolled against the target of 0.64 million (163% achievement).
Community Volunteers Intervention was initiated by UNICEF and HDOD in six agencies and four frontier regions of FATA. The main objective was to support the enrollment campaigns regularly launched in the months of April and September by the Government through community volunteers. A total number of 6600 community volunteers were selected and given orientation about their roles and responsibilities as well as mobilization techniques. The major role of community volunteers was to visit the household of OOSC, create awareness about the importance of education and convince the parents and children to enroll in school. Around 139,000 OOS children were identified through the efforts of community volunteers. In each agency and frontier region the achievement was more than 100%.
Overall lessons learned are: 1) Activation and involvement of PTSMCs or School Councils can bring about a real change in educational development. 2) One of the priority need is creating awareness about the importance of education. 3) Advocacy and media campaigns had great impact on increasing enrollment of OOSC. 4) The role of community notables especially imam masjid is important for promotion of education and literacy. 5) Six Step Process and School Development Plan interventions are the most effective strategies and interventions to increase enrollment and decrease the drop outs. 6) Social mobilization is an effective tool to bring about a change in the attitude of parents for education of their children especially girl child. 7) Community volunteerism worked well for social development of the community.