How to Get students back to schools. A case Study

100% increase in enrollment

GPS Serai Shontaala is situated near Pak Afghan border. The area is very sensitive is respect of security and law and order as in April 2012 a remote control bomb installed was by militants blasted left 9 villagers dead. Culturally the area is also very sensitive and conservative and socially very backward and hard to intervene specially in education for social change. The locals unfortunately opposes every intervention in this regard by government or nongovernmental organization and they fear that for this intervention militants negative response towards the villagers as they have worst past experience in this regards. After several accidents causing causalities the KP government provided community police for all the schools in the area to safeguard the students, teachers and infrastructures. Tele

In the beginning of the welcome to school initiatives it was hard to seek approval from education department Samarbagh Sub division and security Force deployed in the locality as they feared for mishaps.

With several meetings with Education Department and law enforcement agencies officials it was agreed that minimum visits will be paid to GPS Serai as it is more sensitive security wise and ACTED Staff will be very careful to achieve their objectives and goals.

In May 2012 in the initials introductory it was observed that only 19 students were admitted in 6 classes out of the village population of more than 100 households. ACTED team members Samiullah khatir and Dilrosh khan called Joint meeting of School PTC and teachers to develop a strategic plan to mobilize the parents to enroll their children in the school. In the meeting special participation of the Local imam masjid and influential Malak (land lord) were highly valued and they were mobilized to help PTC and teacher in this regard as both they were  having greater influence on people, s life.

It was decided that ACTED in collaboration of UNICEF will provide basic teaching facilities (black boards etc) and learning materials (schools bags, note books etc) for the students to attract children out of schools and their parents along with recreation kit to make the process speedy and effective. The PTC members headed by chairman and head teacher will pay door to door visits accompanied and supported by Local Imam Masjid (religious leader).  It was also advised humbly to the teachers in the meeting to curb completely corporal punishment as it against child rights and harmful for their metal, social and psychological wellbeing and growth as well as this practice will be more convenient for students to come and admit in the school.

By proper follow up visits and telephonic coordination, communication and liaison were made to ensure and make speedy the process throughout the project life cycle.

On November 20^th in the last visit made to the school by ACTED team members Samiullah khatir and M.Saleem followed by AME monitor Mr. Najib khan (ACTED) it was observed that by the frequent efforts of the PTC members, School teacher, Imam Masjid and local influential the student strength were raised to 45 as it was initially 19. The school was neat and clean as compare to the previous conditions. They student of both genders (boys and girls) were very happy playing different games in break time.

The teacher and students were very happy and satisfied from the technical and material support provided by the ACTED under the school initiative project and asked the activities to be carried on in future.

School head teacher Riaz Ul Haq say, it was possible because of the special construction of ACTED staff members who mobilized community and PTC to increase enrollment otherwise it would be same,,

Figure 2 PTC member of GPS serai Shontalla along with Imam Masjid To discuss enrollment increase participated by ACTED team members