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ER
MainsRefuge
END-TERM PROREPORT
streaming Educatioe Children in Pakis
OGRESS
on of Afghan stan- MEARC
UNESCO- Education Unit
Islamabad, May 2012
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Table of Contents
Project Background ............................................................................................................... 3
PROJECT OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................. 3
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ............................................................................................................ 3
PROJECT PROGRESS ..................................................................................................................... 4
THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ...................................................................................................... 6
MEARC ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN ................................................................................................. 9
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................... 10
RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................. 11
FUTURE PLANNING PHASE II .................................................................................................. 11
PICTURES GALLERY ................................................................................................................. 109
PRESS CLIPPINGS ..................................................................................................................... 115
LIST OF ANNEXES
Annex A: Afghan Refugee Children Education in Pakistan Opportunities and Challenges
Annex B: Education Policy Review and Way Forward
Annex C: District EFA Plan Pishin Baluchistan
Annex D: District Seminars Report
Annex E: Provincial Seminar Report
Annex F: Advocacy Material Exhibits
Picture Gallery
Press Clippings
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Project Background
Pakistan is geo‐politically and geo‐strategically a dynamic country of South Asia bordering with India, China, Afghanistan and Iran. The longest border is with Afghanistan along the western border of Pakistan stretching from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, engulfing FATA, to the Baluchistan province. This border, mainly a mountainous terrain, stretches to about 2,230 KMs. This is a porous border and has remained rather difficult to control and monitor throughout the history of the country. The main entry‐exit points are two i.e. Chaman in Baluchistan and Torkham in Khyber Agency (FATA) through Peshawar‐KPK. According to some estimates, in the Torkham point alone, people crossing from either side of the border on a daily basis number as high as 30,000. Moreover, given the treacherous mountainous terrain along the border, many people cross it from different paths for economic and/or asylum purposes.
Since 1979, millions of Afghans have been forced to take refuge in territories of Iran and Pakistan. The in‐flow of refugees has not stopped till date. Those entering Pakistan initially stayed in camps located at different parts of the country. Later on, however, they have been allowed to settle in urban areas as well. The official figure suggests that there are 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees who still residing in Pakistan. While most of them have taken refuge in the 340 camps set up in KPK, Baluchistan and Punjab provinces many are also living elsewhere in the country. At one point the number of Afghan refugees shored to 3.3 million that put severe strain on Pakistani social services and economy. Pakistan continues to face the challenge of managing Afghan refugees for the last 30 years. Although the number for registered Afghans is 1.7 Million, there are many more that are unregistered and have continued to live in Pakistan. The asylum and immigration authorities in Pakistan have not been fully versant with asylum procedures; hence the role of UNHCR has always been significant, particularly, in terms of protecting the Afghan refugees and their rights in Pakistan.
Given the fact that Pakistan is a country that lacks financial and technical resources, the inflow of the refugees obviously makes the situation in the country even more complex. As a result the refugees continue to be discriminated and face problem of fulfilling their basic needs of housing and employment along with access to basic social services such as education and health. Nonetheless, the government has always been generous in allowing them to move outside camps in search of their bread and butter. However, lack of capacity and resources to adequately address the refugees’ problems resulted in the rise of a new category of marginalized community within Pakistan. Majority of Afghan refugees cannot afford the cost of health, education and other basic social services; hence there is serious need of assistance by the UN.
Education is a fundamental human right and the right to education of all is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 26) as well as International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights (articles 13, 14). Moreover, it is further stressed upon through the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education‐ 1960. Sadly, however, the right of the Afghan refugee children to education has not been fully assured. They have been not only discriminated in terms of their right to education in Pakistan but also due to the prevailing situation in the host country; the education has remained inaccessible and/or unaffordable to them. It is hence due to such compelling factors that there is a dire need to address this segment, the afghan refugee children, in terms of education planning in the country.
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The closure of the refugee camps and camp schools in 2005 increased the dropout rate of Afghan refugee children especially girls. Subsequent enrolment into the Pakistani schools outside the camps that were already struggling for quality placed additional pressure on physical infrastructure, teachers, and resources like textbooks and supplies etc. Overcrowding adversely affected teaching and learning environment. All these required increase in government spending on education to serve the needs of both the host community and the Afghan children.
In this context and to contribute to improving government’s effort to provide educational services to Afghan refugees UNHCR signed an MoU with UNESCO for enhancing collaboration in programmes related to Afghan refugee education. The collaboration encompassed school education particularly pre‐primary and elementary education, literacy and non‐formal education and overall education policy related to Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
In the year 2011, UNESCO assumed an advocacy role with the Education Departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to contribute to mainstreaming the Afghan refugee education programme into the national and provincial education policies and programmes. Laying grounds for devising comprehensive future programs based on inclusiveness, the focus was on undertaking sector situation assessment and analyses and mapping of refugee/ local education services and resources as well as training of teachers in Health Education and Health Screening with special focus on Afghan children. This project also had the mechanics that enabled it to be associated with the six UNESCO EFA goals and hence shall, in turn, contribute to the EFA mission of the agency. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The Afghan refugee children education mainstreaming project has been implemented under the following objectives with a view to advocate for concrete future interventions in compliance with the idea envisioned in the UNHCR‐UNESCO MoU.
1. Strategy formulation, advocacy seminars, preparation and dissemination of advocacy materials (Brochures, charts, banners, pamphlets, etc) and policy dialogue for institutionalization and scaling up of quality basic education (including Early Childhood Education), focusing on disadvantaged and vulnerable, including Afghan children,
2. Inclusion of issues of education of Afghan refugees in the education sector situation analysis at provincial level in Khyber Paktunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan,
3. Advocacy for up‐scaling and institutionalization of School Health Programs (SHP) in the country with a focus on vulnerable groups, including Afghan children in Pakistan. This would include training of teachers in Health Education and Health Screening, printing & dissemination of materials (e.g. charts, posters, banners, guidebooks, HSP materials, health screening, materials to improve teaching learning conditions in ECE centres and primary schools as per minimum standard, etc) and seminars on SHP,
4. Institutional upgrading through distribution of minimum standard equipment and teaching learning materials in order to promote inclusion of marginalized and refugee children
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES During the execution of activities planned under the project, the implementation partner (IP) NGOs were asked to take the provincial and district level government on board in order to inculcate
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government ownership into the project. While things went absolutely fine in the province of Baluchistan, UNESCO and its IP NGO namely BEFARe encountered a huge challenge in the province of KPK. The government, particularly the Commissionerate of Afghan Refugees (CAR) managed under the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) was not getting on board for the project to be carried out. The CAR had objection to the project on the grounds that their department was not consulted prior to the designing of the project, even though that the CAR works in close consultation and collaboration with the offices of UNHCR in Pakistan. The issue was highly sensitive and political in nature given that CAR had objections not perhaps on the delivery of the project but on the engagement of BEFARe as an IP NGO of UNESCO, which was done on the recommendations of UNHCR in the first place.
Therefore, it was decided during the middle of the project to phase out from KPK in order to avoid further problems with the CAR department and hence contract with BEFARe was terminated by UNESCO whereas BEFARe completed the activities till the time their contract had been with UNESCO. This decision was brought in to the notice of CAR as well as UNHCR and hence UNESCO focused mainly on Baluchistan in the later stages of the project; where CAR was well on board and had proper representation in the national conference as well as during all the activities carried out in the province. PROJECT PROGRESS The MEARC project achieved the following results with a high rate of execution considering the short timeframe for the project implementation.
a. Preparation of the work‐plan The NGO(s) reviewed the project document and other relevant documents including statistics, facts and figures on refugees and education, educational policies and plans pertaining to KPK and Balochistan. An overall project work‐plan was shared with them on the basis of which the NGOs came up with their plan, as per the project deadlines.
b. Organization of preliminary meetings with provincial and district education authorities The NGOs prepared a draft outline of the proposed series of provincial and district level seminars specifying their objectives and outcomes. The outlines were shared with relevant education authorities at the Provincial Departments of Education in KPK and Balochistan and the district education authorities of Peshawar, Nowshera, Swat, Quetta and Pishin districts. The NGOs agreed with the province and district education authorities on the schedules and venues of the series of seminars to be organized in the provinces and districts. However, in this regard, it is pertinent to mention here that a negative response was recorded from the office of the Commissioner for Afghan Refugees for KPK and subsequently from the office of the Provincial Secretary Education KPK. These offices were not on board for the project and in particular the Commissioner CAR‐KPK’s office rejected the project all together on the pretext that due stakeholder consultation was not initiated at the SAFRON and CCAR levels. However, no such problem was faced in Baluchistan, where all stakeholders were taken on board easily.
c. Organization of province level seminars
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The NGO namely SCSPEB in Baluchistan organized 2 province level seminars as per the project work‐plan. BEFARe in KPK could not complete this activity because by that time UNESCO had phased out of KPK due to the aforementioned problem. The purpose of these seminars was to engage stakeholders in policy dialogue and taking initiative for policy reform in order to expand quality ECE and compulsory elementary education so that excluded children including the children of Afghan refugees benefit. The first of the two seminars focused primarily on current issues pertaining to ECE and elementary education of such children. The NGO introduced discussion papers in the seminar, which were prepared on the basis of the district level seminars. The provincial seminar deliberations led to the development of strategies and initiatives for policy reforms and advocacy materials. The second seminar was organized after about 2 months and it primarily focused on reviewing the policy briefs and strategy papers that SCSPEB had prepared as the outcomes of the previous seminars both at the district and province levels. The second provincial seminars endorsed these documents for consideration by Provincial Departments of Education.
d. Organization of district level seminars The NGOs were supposed to organize 10 district level seminars (2 each in the 5 selected districts). However, BEFARe could only organise 2 district level seminars before the phase‐out. Both the first and second district level seminars were organized just before the first and second province level seminars respectively and the outcome of the same fed information for the provincial seminars. Discussion papers for the first district seminar were prepared by the NGO on the basis of their review of education documents/statistics and rapid appraisals of the district educational contexts. In the second district seminar participants were given the opportunity to review and discuss the policy briefs, strategies, etc.
e. Institutional and education policy analyses The NGOs carried out institutional and education policy analyses of KPK and Balochistan provinces. The institutional analysis involved assessment of service delivery mechanisms of Provincial Departments of Education, e.g., organizational structure and provision of human resources to oversee ECE and elementary education sub‐sector in the context of every child’s right to basic education or EFA or Article 25 A of the constitution, to ascertain in what way do they support/encourage mainstreaming of marginalized and Afghan children in ECE and primary education. Similarly policy analysis involved, among others, the review of provincial educational policies from the point of view of EFA, Article 25 A and children rights to education.
f. Formulation of provincial primary education plan and district EFA plans The SCSPEB consulted relevant stakeholders and reviewed related documents to draft provincial primary education sub‐sector plan for Balochistan and district EFA plans for the RAHA district namely Pishin of Balochistan province. This task was also informed by the outcomes of the district and provincial seminars.
g. Workshops for training of teachers on health education and health screening
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The SCSPEB organized 5 workshops in Balochistan province for training of teachers on health education and health screening using existing training resources handed over by UNESCO through professional trainers. The workshops were organized for teachers of several schools in each of the two selected districts, namely Quetta and Pishin. The participating teachers represented schools that are located in areas where Afghan refugees have settled. The purpose of organizing such trainings was to ensure that children coming from deprived and marginalized families are protected from illness and diseases so that not only will they remain in school to complete the full primary cycle but also those out of school will also be attracted to enrol. The teachers attending trainings were encouraged to keep enrolment retention/change records and assess how health education and health screening impact on the student motivation.
h. Dissemination and public awareness seminars Media advocacy materials were produced by a local firm, the process of which; was supervised by the UNESCO Communication Consultant. The firm along with other vendors organized 2 dissemination and public awareness seminars in the two selected districts, namely Quetta and Pishin. These seminars also disseminated the outcomes, lessons and experiences from the provincial and district level stakeholders seminars and also from the teachers’ workshops to the participants representing civil society, media, government officials, and general people including Afghan refugees.
THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE UNESCO Pakistan, under the scope of the MEARC project, organised a national level conference of all stakeholders under the title “The Right to Education of Afghan Refugee Children in Pakistan” in order to advocate for the policy change at the national level. Key stakeholders of the project participated in the said workshop.
Dr Gwang‐Jo Kim, Regional Director UNESCO Asia and Pacific‐ Bangkok office, took part in the National Conference, wherein he gave a session on the UNESCO ‘Education for All’ with a global perspective. Dr Kim’s efforts remained significantly important for the national conference because of two reasons: i) establishing a link of EFA with the Afghan refugee children education in Pakistan, and ii) learning from the global practices, constraints and gaps so that the audience could appraise the prevailing situation in terms of UNESCO EFA interventions. Dr Kim’s session drew a great deal of interests among the participants and enabled them to comprehend the essence of UNHCR and UNESCO partnership.
Amongst other personalities, the notable delegates representing federal and provincial government and UN agencies present on the occasion were:
1. Mr Sardarzada Nasir Khan Jamali, Provincial Minister Secondary Education, Baluchistan.
2. Mr Neill Wright, Country Representative‐ UNHCR Pakistan
3. Dr K.K. Nagata, Director/Country Representative‐ UNESCO Pakistan
4. Mr Arbab Talib, Deputy Director, Programme‐ Commissionerate of Afghan Refugees, Baluchistan
5. Mr Gohar Ali Khan, Executive District Officer EDO‐ Peshawar (KPK)
6. Mr Abdur Rasheed Tarin, Executive District Officer EDO‐ Pishin (Baluchistan)
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Dr Kim’s Session on EFA‐ Global Perspective:
Dr Kim delivered a very informative, thorough and comprehensive presentation on the Global Perspectives related to EFA goals, the progress and achievements made so far in this regard by UNESCO globally, key initiatives in this direction as well as major gaps and challenges lying ahead. He gave the audience a very clear perspective of what EFA means for UNESCO and how it relates to the overall development of the world in terms of education and also linking it with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The audience took a keen interest in the session and remained interactive asking questions in order to learn fully by utilizing and benefiting from the kind presence of Dr Kim. While answering a question relating to a clarification on the gender parity issues, Dr Kim
said, that there are some countries in the world where, surprisingly, women are preferred over men and by that he clarified the notion that it means that there are countries where women have been involved in sectors like education, employment, business and trade etc that they have outnumbered their male counterparts. However, UNESCO endeavours to achieve gender parity at the global level. Dr Kim highlighted remarkably the main goals of EFA, the UNESCO working strategy in terms of EFA, how EFA links with and treats significantly the Primary education, quality of education and other areas of importance. Dr Kim’s session was applauded by the audience and considered as very important and vital to the global development in terms of education as well as otherwise; by UNHCR and federal and provincial government delegates. In the end, Dr Kim, while addressing the audience about EFA from the perspective of Disaster and Conflict, highlighted the case point for Pakistan and revealed the facts and figures of how UNESCO plans further service to the people of Pakistan.
Proceedings of the Conference: Highlight Features
United Nations Educational, Scientific, & Cultural Organization UNESCO in co‐operation with United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR in lieu with signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) organized a National Conference to raise awareness & highlight issues to promote the “Right to education of Afghan refugee children in Pakistan”, The aim of the conference was to raise awareness & highlight concerns to encourage stakeholders to achieve the “Education For All (EFA) goals by including Afghan Refugee children through policy and capacity reform especially in refugee hosting areas, such as FATA, KP and Baluchistan. The Country Representative of UNESCO Dr. Kozue Kay Nagata thanked UNHCR for the collaboration, in her opening remarks.
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She said, “We have an objective to assure that education is accessible especially to the marginalized. We are geared to set up a foundation for the future joint interventions with a common interest of ensuring that education reaches Afghan refugee children as we believe all children have right to education and there is no doubt about it”. Stressing on the need to educate the societies without discrimination, she urged the stakeholders by saying, “Let us be practical, we need to face it without being superficial but it is a highly sensitive issue, which cannot be solved unless we consider the fundamental issue of tackling the education for all in a particle manner specially by including the marginalized groups like refugees in policy reform”.
Addressing the participants, the Country Director, UNHCR Mr Neill Wright elaborated the situation of the education
among Afghan Refugees living in Pakistan. Mr. Wright said “The quality of the education including quality of the facilities and quality of teachers among refugees show clearly that there is a long way to go. 1.74 million Afghan refugees are still living in country, hosted generously by Government, and 3.7 million has gone back in last 10 years. Out of this refugee population 50% are under the age of 14 whereas 70% are under the age of 18. Only 55,000 (5%) of the 1.74 million PoR card holders have completed primary education, there is only 20% enrolment in primary school amongst school‐aged Afghan refugee children”.
Mr. Wright added while concluding, “Vast majority of these children were born in Pakistan and they feel that this is their country when I talk to them no matter how much they consider to be Afghan refugees they consider Pakistan as their country”.
The seminar was attended by eminent educationists from provincial education ministries, as well as civil society NGOs working for the rights and education of Afghan refugees. The keynote speaker, Dr. Gwong‐Jo Kim, Regional Director‐ UNESCO, stressed on different aspects of Education for All, and indicated that one of the reasons for low implementation rate to meet EFA goals is the challenges for the marginalized groups which include refugees. He said, “It’s just not for the individual but for the society; in my personal view education is a personal and social insurance, meaning if you educate young kids regardless of their background you have less to pay for their social security”. He further added, “it’s not a favor to these refugee kids it’s just for all of us, because if we educate them we have less taxes to pay, less to spend of social security and hence a promise for peace and harmony. There can be no peace or security
without education”.
The Country Representative of UNESCO Dr. Kozue Kay Nagata thanked UNHCR for the collaboration, in her
Mr. Neil Wright, Country Representative UNHCR
Pakistan, delivering his speech at the national
conference
Dr. Eshya Mujahid, Research Consultant UNESCO, speaking to the
audience at the national conference while Ms. Pilar Robledo
Project CoordinatorUNHCR, and Mr. Arbab Talib, Deputy
DirectorCommissionerate Afghan Refugees (CAR), look on
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opening remarks. She put focus on the agenda by stating that there is an objective to assure that education is accessible especially to the marginalized. UNESCO is geared to set up a foundation for the future joint interventions with a common interest of ensuring that education reaches Afghan refugee children as we believe all children have right to education.
The Country Representative of UNHCR Mr Neill Wright elaborated the situation of the education among Afghan Refugees living in Pakistan. He stressed on the need to comprehend that the quality of the education including quality of the facilities and quality of teachers among refugees show clearly that there is a long way to go. 1.74 million Afghan refugees are still living in country, hosted generously by Government, and 3.7 million has gone back in last 10 years. Out of this refugee population 50% are under the age of 14 whereas 70% are under the age of 18. Only 55,000 (5%) of the 1.74 million PoR card holders have completed primary education, there is only 20% enrolment in primary school amongst school‐aged Afghan refugee children”.
The seminar was attended by eminent educationists from provincial education ministries, as well as civil society NGOs working for the rights and education of Afghan refugees. The keynote speaker, Dr. Gwong‐Jo Kim, Regional Director‐ UNESCO, stressed on different aspects of Education for All, and indicated that one of the reasons for low implementation rate to meet EFA goals is the challenges for the marginalized groups which include refugees. He said, “It’s just not for the individual but for the society; in my personal view education is a personal and social insurance, meaning if you educate young kids regardless of their background you have less to pay for their social security afterwards”.
MEARC ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN The project had a very significant advocacy component that UNESCO has undertaken during the timeframe of the project. The advocacy campaign contained interventions including a 3‐minute short human angle documentary, a series of talk shows on radio, advocacy materials such as posters and brochures, story‐books, notebooks for teachers. The advocacy materials were developed for use in sessions in workshops for stakeholders in order to raise voice over the issue of mainstreaming education of the Afghan refugee children. The details of the advocacy tools are given hereunder:
Documentary Film: Produced specifically to show human side of the need for educating Afghan refugee children, the documentary advocates key messages about Education for All and why Pakistan cannot meet its objectives of EFA without mainstreaming Afghan refugee children in Education system. The documentary includes interviews and voices of educationists, human rights activists and Afghan refugees (both parents and children); who insisted that the point of mutual benefits among Afghan and Pakistan population is only possible with education.
Radio Talk Shows: The series of 20 shows on radio each featuring an eminent and famous activist or educationist, gives a thorough and motivational content to highlight the values of inclusiveness, education, knowledge and good citizens. This radio series is broadcasted all over Pakistan in national Language, with repeat broadcast in refugee hosting areas. Each show is based on one theme related to Education for all advocacy, and by incorporating subtle messages of human rights specially education of Afghans in Pakistan.
Posters: Posters are developed to be placed at schools and government offices which say "Education‐ for an independent generation". The idea is to spread the key message of education, while the photograph shows Afghan children studying in Pakistan.
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[11]
RECOMMENDATIONS To accommodate and care for this marginalized group, Pakistan has to bear the responsibility of providing them with basic amenities such as food, shelter, clothing and facilities such as water and electricity. More importantly, services such as education and health will also have to be provided to the refugees.
While Pakistan’s efforts at accommodating refugees over the past three decades are greatly appreciated, poorly functioning economy and increasingly binding fiscal and resource constraints, indicate that Government of Pakistan alone will not be able to shoulder this heavy responsibility. Therefore, the Government should be actively and adequately supported by other development partners, both international and local, in meeting this challenge.
To improve the education status of the refugee population, following measures are recommended for prompt action:
• Regular collection of statistics is essential for systematic and effective planning. As such,
reliable information should be collected on the number of refugee children, their age groups and education status to ascertain their schooling needs such as teachers, learning and teaching materials as well as school environment i.e., classrooms, utilities and other facilities.
• For delivery of quality education to the refugees, financial as well other resource arrangements, with assistance from international development partners, should be developed to assist Pakistan meet the needs of the refugee population. In this UN agencies like UNHCR, UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP could share the financial and technical responsibilities.
• Special focus should be placed on the provision of education for girls and females. To this end, recruitment and training of female teachers as well as security and close proximity of schools should be ensured.
• Literacy programmes should also be run for adult illiterates, especially for youth and women. This would help in improving children’s enrolment in schools.
• There is, as such, no policy for Afghan refugee children’s education in Pakistan. It has been observed that in terms of admissions and enrolment there is no proper documented policy with the education departments and admissions are given on the discretion of the district education authorities hence admissions may be granted or rejected without a policy. Therefore, there is a vast gap in this direction and a lot of efforts need to be put in terms of putting forth a stringent national policy in‐line with the newly introduced article 25‐A. Such a policy would be in line not only with article 25‐A but also with the United Nations MDGs, EFA goals and also UDHR, ICCPR and ICESCR. Hence the significance of this area cannot be ignored.
FUTURE PLANNING PHASE II It has been evidently observed during the short time span of the project that there is a great deal of gap in terms of national education policy towards the marginalised segments of the society, particularly Afghan refugees. However there is a great deal of requirement to work in liaison with the government departments including education department, SAFRON and CAR in order to take them on board and induce in them the concept of ownership towards this important area of education.
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Therefore, in the light of experiences gained and lessons learnt, UNESCO proposed the following actions for phase‐II of the project:
1. The timeframe of the phase‐II of this project has to be strategically designed thereby giving enough time to UNESCO in order to engage the government relevant departments and hence introduce the concept at a larger forum in order to persuade the policy makers towards this area.
2. After successful completion of the project and achievements brought about in the province of Baluchistan, in particular, UNESCO proposes to replicate the project in Punjab and ICT and also tackle the project in KPK again during phase‐II with a better coordinated approach.
3. Broad based advocacy still needs to be considered in the coming time in order to raise awareness on the idea of bringing Afghan refugee children into the mainstream education system of Pakistan allowing them flexibility to learn in tandem with Afghan curriculum so that there is enhanced motivation to return for Afghan refugees. These aspects should clearly be emphasized during the next phase of the project under consideration.
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ANNEX A
Afghan Refugee Children Education in Pakistan:
Opportunities and Challenges
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Section I: Objectives of the Study
Section II: Pakistan’s National and International Commitments to Education
Section III: Afghan Refugee Policy and Strategy in Pakistan
Section IV: Situation Analysis: A Statistical Education Profile of Afghan
Refugees
Section V: Key Challenges to Afghan Refugee Education
Section VI: Opportunities for Afghan Refugees
Section VII: Case Studies of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
Section VIII: Policy Recommendations
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Executive Summary
The Government of Pakistan, despite its own financial and other resource constraints, has been host to the Afghan refugees for over three decades. It is indeed very considerate of the people of Pakistan who extend generous hospitality and kindness to their displaced neighbours. Together with Pakistan government authorities, UNHCR has been responsible for the protection and care of refugees.
The UNHCR Assisted Voluntary Repatriation program for Afghans started in 2002 and since then more than 3.5 million Afghans have returned home. However, with increasing insecurity and issues related to worsening law and order in Afghanistan, the number of returnees gradually began to decline annually, with only 14,000 returning to Afghanistan in 2010. At present, there are about 1.74 million registered Afghan refugees living in Pakistan, along with many unregistered ones as well.
In this context, UNESCO has commissioned this study to assess the Afghan refugee situation in Pakistan, with specific focus on the education dimensions and needs of Afghan children, key challenges faced and the possible opportunities available to them in the near future. This is of particular importance as Pakistan has to meet its national and international commitments to achieve universal primary education of good quality outlined by the National Education Policy 2009, the Education for All (EFA) goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Afghan refugee children education in Pakistan faces severe challenges, particularly the following: • Financial Constraint: With only 2% of GDP being allocated to education in Pakistan, any further
specific financial allocation to education of refugees is not easily possible. Pakistan, therefore, largely depends on UNHCR and other development partners for assistance to refugees. An international consortium should, therefore, be set up to raise funds globally for the assistance of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
• High Cost of Sending Children to School: Due to very high poverty levels of refugee families, most boys are not allowed by their parents to attend school as they are required to earn for the family while for girls, cultural values or long distance commuting to school can be barriers to education.
• Access to Education is Limited: Given that there are few Afghan schools and access to Pakistani schools is difficult, Afghan refugee children have limited opportunities to education. In addition, it is often stated that schools are not in close proximity to the residences and it is difficult for girls to commute long distances to attend school. Also absence of female teachers discourages parents from sending daughters to school. Schools, especially for girls, should be set up in close proximity to residences as well as additional incentives should be provided to female teachers.
• Quality of Education is Poor: In refugee schools, there are few teachers and the quality of teaching is poor with a shortage of teaching/learning materials in schools. This is largely due to the non availability of qualified and trained female teachers in remote areas of the provinces where the refugee population resides. Extra efforts need to be made for hiring of female teachers and for conducting teachers’ training programmes.
• Lack of Physical Facilities in School: Refugee schools have been reported to be lacking in physical facilities such as boundary walls, toilets and drinking water. Provision of these facilities will improve school attendance.
• Uncertain Schedule of Refugee Repatriation: One of the key challenges to refugee children education in Pakistan is the uncertain schedule of their stay in Pakistan. Given the unstable political and serious law and order situation in Afghanistan, an overwhelming majority of refugees, while they intend to return home, are not certain of the time of their return. As such planners are unable to assess the
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education needs (the number of school‐age children; the physical and financial requirements of teachers, classrooms, learning materials, etc.) and develop programmes to meet these needs.
• Medium of Instruction: Another major issue in refugee education is the confusion regarding the medium of instruction. In Afghan refugee camp schools, children are taught Afghan curriculum in their native languages i.e. Dari and/or Pushto which will be helpful if the families return to Afghanistan in the near future. However, refugee children attending Pakistani schools are taught Pakistani curriculum in Urdu which will, in the long run, enable the refugee children find jobs and settle in Pakistan. It may be possible that the medium of their children’s instruction would impact the decision of the refugee families to return to Afghanistan or settle in Pakistan.
A Consultative Meeting on Voluntary Repatriation of Afghan refugees was convened in Islamabad recently by Ministry of SAFRON. The participants expressed hope that adoption of a Regional Solutions Strategy and the convocation in Switzerland of the forthcoming International Conference in May 2012 on Solutions for Afghan Refugees will help mobilize additional support and resources for the implementation of the comprehensive durable solutions strategy for Afghans in the region, including repatriation of the recognized Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
The situation analysis and case studies, along with the gradual annual decline in the number of refugees returning to Afghanistan, clearly indicate that not very many Afghan refugees are likely to be voluntarily repatriated in the next few years. Under the prevailing situation in Afghanistan, where law and order is worsening and militant activities continue unabated, many refugees appear uncomfortable and unwilling to return home. While Pakistan’s efforts at accommodating refugees over the past three decades are greatly appreciated, the Government of Pakistan alone will not be able to shoulder this heavy responsibility. Therefore, the Government should be actively and adequately supported by other development partners, both international and local, in meeting this challenge.
More specifically: • While a lot of initiatives are underway to provide fundamental amenities and basic services to
Afghan refugees, these efforts suffer from poor coordination and weak management. A professional coordination body is, therefore, urgently needed to coordinate and better manage these activities.
• To decrease the dependency of the refugees on other groups, potential service providers from within the refugees may be identified to provide basic services to the refugee population under each initiative designed for refugee support.
• For the deserving and more vulnerable segments of refugee population, conditional grant schemes may be piloted to assess the possibility of expanding income‐earning activities for the refugees so as to make them made self‐sufficient to the extent possible.
To improve the education status of the refugee population, certain measures need to be undertaken on an urgent basis:
• Regular collection of statistics is essential for systematic and effective planning. As such, reliable information should be collected on the number of refugee children, their age groups and education status to ascertain their schooling needs such as teachers, learning and teaching materials as well as school environment i.e., classrooms, utilities and other facilities;
• For delivery of quality education to the refugees, financial as well other resource arrangements, with assistance from international development partners, should be developed to assist Pakistan meet the needs of providing quality education to refugees.
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• Special focus should be placed on the provision of education to girls and females. In this, recruitment and training of female teachers as well as security and close proximity of schools should be ensured.
• Literacy programmes should also be run for adult illiterates, especially for youth and women. This would help in improving children’s enrolment in schools.
No refugee population can endlessly stay on in any host country. Experience suggests that either it amalgamates with the local population or it returns home. In this situation, too, it is expected that some proportion of refugees will stay back forever while the remaining will return to Afghanistan. To facilitate the return of most refugees, the international community as well as the Afghan Government, too, should be requested to make efforts at improving the political and civil situation in Afghanistan or in the interim period, develop designated areas with all facilities for their returnee citizens.
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Introduction
According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates, in the months immediately following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, hundreds of thousands of people fled their homes in Afghanistan in fear of United States led retaliatory military action and fighting between Northern Alliance and Taliban forces, as well as intertribal conflicts. At least 200,000 of them fled to neighboring Pakistan, where they joined over two million other Afghan refugees and migrants who had fled armed conflict, persecution, drought, inter‐family and inter‐tribal conflict and economic deprivation in the decades following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. According to UNHCR reports in 2001, the majority of the new arrivals to Pakistan sought refuge in urban areas, mainly in two provinces: North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan.
Informal sources1 estimated that by the end of 2001, there were a total of approximately 5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which included the Afghans who were born inside Pakistan during the past 20 years. The Census of Afghans in Pakistan report (2005) prepared by the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, Government of Pakistan stated that the ethnic breakdown of Afghan refugees in Pakistan was as follows: Pashtuns (81.5%), Tajiks (7.3%), Uzbeks (2.3%), Hazara (1.3%), Turkmen (2.0%), Balochi (1.7%) and others (3.9%).
The 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees has not yet been signed by Pakistan. Despite this, the people and Government of Pakistan need to be greatly appreciated for investing considerable effort and substantial resources to accommodate the Afghan refugees over the past three decades.
Despite years of responsibility of hosting Afghan refugees and with very limited international contribution for their care besides its own financial constraints, the Government of Pakistan did accommodate the new refugees. It was indeed very considerate of the people of Pakistan who extended generous hospitality and kindness to their displaced neighbours. Those allowed to enter Pakistan, register and relocate to camps were permitted to do so in designated areas that are distinct and separate from roughly 200 pre‐existing refugee camps. Together with Pakistan government authorities, UNHCR was responsible for the protection and care of refugees in these “relocation camps,” which were clustered in the Chaman area of Balochistan, along the border with Kandahar, Afghanistan, and in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Those entering urban areas did so by skirting official channels, and they joined the ranks of most other
1 wikipedia
The 1951 Convention consolidates previous international instruments relating to refugees and provides the most
comprehensive codification of the rights of refugees at the international level. In contrast to earlier international
refugee instruments, which applied to specific groups of refugees, the 1951 Convention endorses a single
definition of the term “refugee” in Article 1. The emphasis of this definition is on the protection of persons from
political or other forms of persecution. A refugee, according to the Convention, is someone who is unable or
unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of
race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
Geneva Convention (1951) relating to the Status of Refugees
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refugees in Pakistan who have not been able to secure refugee status and remain officially not documented with few rights recognized by Pakistani authorities.
The UNHCR Assisted Voluntary Repatriation program for Afghans started in 2002 and since then more than 3.5 million Afghans have returned home. However, with increasing insecurity and issues related to worsening law and order in Afghanistan, the number of returnees gradually began to decline annually, with only 14,000 returning to Afghanistan in 2010.
In this context, UNESCO has commissioned this study to assess the Afghan refugee situation in Pakistan, with specific focus on the education dimensions and needs of Afghan children, key challenges faced and the possible opportunities available to them in the near future. This is of particular importance as Pakistan has to meet its national and international commitments to achieve universal primary education of good quality outlined by the National Education Policy 2009, the Education for All (EFA) goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The following are divided into seven sections: Section I outlines the objectives of the Study; Section II briefly highlights Pakistan’s national and international commitments to education; Section III discusses Afghan refugee policy and strategy in Pakistan; Section IV develops a situation analysis of the education of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and the role of international development partners in refugee assistance; Section V identifies key challenges faced in refugee education; Section VI suggests certain forthcoming opportunities for Afghan refugee education; Section VII presents some case studies related to Afghan refugees ; and Section VIII is based on a set of recommendations for improving the Afghan refugee situation in general and education in particular.
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Section I Objectives of the Study
The overall objective of the study is to sensitize the policy makers and involve relevant stakeholders on the importance and situation of education for Afghan refugees.
More specifically, the study aims to: • Develop, on the basis of most recent statistics available, a situation analysis of the Afghan refugee
children education in Pakistan; • Identify key issues and challenges in education faced by the Afghan refugee children; • Highlight the possible opportunities of improving basic education for Afghan children; and • Develop recommendations for policy and action for improving the Afghan refugee situation in
general and education in particular.
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Section II
Pakistan’s National and International Commitments to Education
Pakistan’s national and international commitments to education clearly imply a sense of responsibility towards the provision of basic education to Afghan refugee children. The Constitution of Pakistan, the National Education Policy (2009) as well as the obligation to meet EFA and MDGs reflects the country’s need to cater to refugee education in which its effort should be fully supported with the necessary resources.
National Commitments to Education
The Constitution of Pakistan framed in 1973 promised to its citizens in Article 37 (b) & (c) that "the State shall remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within the minimum possible period; make technical and professional education generally available and higher education equally accessible to all on the basis of merit".
In 2010, a new article was added in the Constitution stating that all children, irrespective of caste, color, creed or status, living in Pakistan had a right to basic education. According to Section 9 of the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 inserted a new Article 25A in the Constitution, with effect from. April 19, 2010. It says:
“Right to education The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law”.
Vision 2030
The Vision 2030 for Pakistan presents a strategic framework for overcoming obstacles and challenges standing in the way of the referred future chosen by the people of Pakistan. The Vision aims at a high quality of life, providing equal opportunities to its citizens to reach their true potential. It is based on a plan to meet contemporary and future challenges by deploying knowledge inputs and developing human capital. Besides sustaining high growth rates, benefits of growth are planned to be equitably distributed, and poverty to be largely eliminated It calls for “Developed, industrialized, just and prosperous Pakistan through rapid and sustainable development in a resource constrained economy by developing knowledge inputs.”
National Education Policy 2009
Accordingly, the Ministry of Education too has adopted the following vision:
“Our education system must provide quality education to our children and youth to enable them to realize their individual potential and contribute to development of society and nation, creating a sense of Pakistani nationhood, the concepts of tolerance, social justice, democracy, their regional and local culture and history based on the basic ideology enunciated in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
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NEP (2009); Chapter 2; Section 2; Item 52; page 10
In its specific aims and objectives, the NEP (2009) includes the following:
“to equalize access to education through provision of basic facilities for girls and boys alike, underprivileged/marginalized groups and special children and adults;”
The Education Sector Plans of Balochistan and KP do not include any specific direct program on education for Afghan refugees.
Pakistan’s International Commitments to Education: EFA and MDGs
In 2000, Pakistan committed to the achievement, by 2015, of a set of Education for All (EFA) goals and to meet, also by 2015, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of which two goals (Goal 2 and 3) specified targets for education. Besides, Pakistan is also a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Six internationally agreed EFA goals, which form the guiding principles to providing good quality education, aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults, irrespective of caste, colour, creed or status, by 2015 are as follows: Goal 1: Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for
the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children Goal 2: Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and
those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality.
Goal 3: Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life‐skills programmes
Goal 4: Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults.
Goal 5: Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality.
Goal 6: Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.
The two MDG goals related to education are:
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Target 3: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
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Target 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015
Besides violating the agreement made in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, emergencies caused by armed conflict, chronic crises or natural disasters are a major constraint to the achievement of EFA/MDGs. Children and adolescents in refugee, internal displacement or other crisis situations have the right to receive an education and to benefit from the stabilizing and reassuring environment that schools provide. The importance of these rights was recognized by the Dakar Framework, which cited the need to 'meet the needs of education systems affected by conflict, natural calamities and instability'. Thus, Education in Situations of Emergency and Crisis was named a Flagship Programme.
Education is increasingly viewed as the 'fourth pillar' of humanitarian response alongside those of food, shelter and health. Education is required in emergency situations and its benefits are overwhelmingly positive for children. Reasons for education in emergency include the psychosocial needs of children and adolescents affected by trauma and displacement as well as the need to protect them from harm and to maintain and develop study skills.
Refugee camps are organized to provide for social services, including schools. Camps cited as providing model education programmes are those in Nepal for Bhutanese refugees, in Pakistan for Afghanis, and in Guinea and Uganda for multiple refugee populations.
It is highly appreciated that Pakistan committed itself wholeheartedly to meeting the needs of the Afghan refugee population, seeking refuge in the country since 1979. Though much of this work was, and is being, implemented by the Government of Pakistan, there is close association with international and local NGOs, many in partnership with United Nations agencies and bilateral agencies.
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Section III Afghan Refugee Policy and Strategy in Pakistan
UNHCR Repatriation Program (200212)
The UNHCR Assisted Voluntary Repatriation program for Afghans started in 2002 and since then more than 3.5 million Afghans have returned home. The highest number of returns took place in 2002 when about 1.6 million refugees returned to Afghanistan. From 2005 to late 2006, the Government of Pakistan began and completed a registration process of all Afghans living in the country. The total number of registered Afghans was reported at 2.15 million in February 2007. They were issued computerized "proof of registration" (PoR) cards with special biometric features, similar to the Pakistani National Identity Card (NIC) but has "Afghan Citizen" on the front. More than 360,000 Afghans were repatriated from Pakistan in the year 2007. The repatriation process took place between March and October of that year, with each person receiving a travel package of about US$100. This was later raised to US $150.
As of March 2009, up to 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees still remain in Pakistan. Many of them were born and raised in Pakistan in the last 30 years but are still counted as citizens of Afghanistan. They are allowed to work, rent houses, travel and attend schools in the country until the end of 2012. Each family that returns to Afghanistan, on production of repatriation documents issued by the UNHCR, is believed to be provided free plot of land by the Government of Afghanistan to build a new home. By end‐2010, a total of about 640,000 families comprising 3.58 million refugees had returned home (Table 1).
Between 2010 and 2011, a total of 146,000 Afghan refugees left Pakistan and returned to Afghanistan. This would technically leave behind about 1,634,000 refugees in Pakistan. In addition, an unknown number of Afghan passport holders travel to Pakistan with a visa for various reasons, including family visit, business or trade, medical purpose, sport competitions, education, tourism, or to visit foreign embassies that are based inside Pakistan. Some go without the necessary travel documents and when arrested they either pay fines or spend time in jail. Afghan workers are provided with special border passes that allow them to cross the border on daily bases without needing a passport or visa. The same is the case for Pakistanis who work inside Afghanistan.
Table 1: Repatriation of Afghan Refugee Families and Individuals by Year of Repatriation
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Families 281,720 62524 67023 79727 24232 61399 50841 9520 2536
Individuals 1,565,095 343,074 383598 449520 133015 364476 282496 46329 13989
Source: UNHCR Pakistan website
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Pakistan’s Afghan Management and Repatriation Strategy (AMRS)
In March 2010, following consultations involving all Government departments, the Cabinet approved the Management and Repatriation of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Strategy (2009 – 2012) which inter alia extended the validity of “proof of registration” (PoR) cards and the Tripartite Commission to December 2012.
Courtesy: UNHCR Pakistan Photo Gallery
The Strategy offers to examine alternative legal stay options for PoR‐card holders while simultaneously supporting repatriation and dealing with undocumented migrants in accordance with its laws. These options can only be realized when visa and other residence permits, foreseen under AMRS, are developed and made available to Afghans. Hence the Ministry of State and Frontier Regions of Pakistan (SAFRON) and UNHCR have been working in close collaboration to implement the processes and procedures of this Strategy.
There are 3 pillars of this strategy:
Pillar I: Socio‐economic profiling of registered Afghans in Pakistan; Pillar II: Legal framework including accession to the 1951 Convention et al; and Pillar III: Operational framework to implement solutions envisaged under AMRS.
The Pakistan Government and UNHCR have a two year window of opportunity (2011 – 2012) to help Afghan refugees by identifying durable solutions to their present situation. With the full support of the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the international community, a successful implementation of this strategy will help resolve this protracted refugee situation by offering alternative options and paving the way for lasting solutions.
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Role of International Development Partners in Refugee Assistance
Most of the Afghan refugee pupils in camps in Pakistan are in primary schools. Some 6,000 teachers work in hundreds of schools in the camps, run mainly by international NGOs and, in the case of secondary schools, by the Government of Pakistan and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Most funding is provided by UNHCR, with some topping‐up by NGOs and bilateral donors. In addition, there are, or have been, a large number of urban self‐help schools. Whenever closer cooperation did take place, this was appreciated by partners. Examples of such initiatives were UNICEF’s work with the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR) Education Committee and UNESCO’s work with GTZ and other UN organizations and NGOs to develop a database of 5,000 Afghan teachers. However, ACBAR lacked stable funding and professional personnel and therefore was not able to play the significant role one might have hoped for. UNESCO’s Pakistan office provided some professional inputs and promoted information sharing and coordination.
International development partners also supported projects to help Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Some of the projects were implemented by the federal government while others were province‐specific and implemented by the provincial governments. The most important project is the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) initiative launched in 2009 under the joint One UN programme in Pakistan with an initial appeal of $140 million over five years. The initiative is expected to benefit up to 2.5 million Pakistanis and Afghans. The programme’s interventions cover the sectors of education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene and livelihoods. Of a total of about 30 RAHA projects, some 23 projects have been completed while the remaining are ongoing in KP and Balochistan. Following are some key projects currently being implemented for refugees in Pakistan.
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Federal Government Projects
Donor-Funded Education Projects Implemented by the Federal Government
Donor/ Agency
Project Title Location/ Area
Start Date
End Date
Description
GIZ with Japan, & BPRM (USA)
Refugee Affected & Hosting Areas Project (RAHA)
27/5/09 26/5/14 Afghan Refugees educational provision – led by UNHCR
Multi donor Australia, Canada, ECHO, GIZ, Japan, Norway, Switzerland
Assistance to Afghan & Non‐Afghan refugees in Pakistan
1/1/11 31/1/11
Source: Donor Assistance Directory; EAD; July 2011
Provincial Projects
These are projects being implemented/supported at the provincial level.
Balochistan Donor-Funded Education Projects Implemented by Government of Balochistan
Donor/ Agency
Project Title Start Date
End Date Description
UN-UNHCR & UNICEF
Afghan Refugees Education Project (AREP)
2002 2011 Under the Programme, around 5000 Children were enrolled in Refugee schools from Primary to Elementary level. Teachers were hired and trained under the Project to facilitate the schools. To improve the condition of schools, community participation was encouraged.
UN-UNHCR/UNDP/ CAR
Refugee Affected Hosting Areas (RAHA)
2009 2014 The Project, focused on schools in Refugee Affected areas and rehabilitated missing facilities
Source: Donor Assistance Directory; EAD; July 2011 & UNESCO Balochistan Provincial Report Oct 2011
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
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Donor-Funded Education Projects Implemented by the Government of KP
Donor/ Agency
Project Title Location/ Area
Start Date
End Date Description
GIZ Refugee Affected & Hosting Areas Project
27/5/09 28/5/14 The Project, focused on schools in Refugee Affected areas and rehabilitated missing facilities
Source: Donor Assistance Directory; EAD; July 2011& KP Provincial Report 2012
Sindh Donor-Funded Education Projects Implemented by Government of Sindh
Donor/ Agency
Project Title Start Date
End Date
Description
GIZ Refugee Affected & Hosting Areas Project
27/5/09 28/5/14 The Project, focused on schools in Refugee Affected areas and rehabilitated missing facilities
Source: Donor Assistance Directory; EAD; July 2011 & UNESCO Sindh Provincial Report; Oct 2011
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Box 1: Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) Programme The RAHA initiative was launched in 2009 under the joint One UN programme in Pakistan with an initial appeal of $140 million over five years. The initiative is expected to benefit up to 2.5 million Pakistanis and Afghans. The programme’s interventions cover the sectors of education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene and livelihoods. Of a total of about 30 RAHA projects, some 23 projects have been completed and the remaining are ongoing in KP and Balochistan.
The aim of the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas programme (RAHA) is to promote regional stability and compensate for the social, economic and environmental consequences on Pakistani communities by the presence of more than 3 million Afghans over the past 30 years. For the 1.7 million registered Afghans remaining in Pakistan after the large‐scale repatriation since 2002, the programme will promote peaceful co‐existence with local communities until conditions in Afghanistan are conducive for their return.
The programme adopts a bottom-up participatory approach based on community development and social cohesion. Civil society organizations and NGOs will facilitate social mobilization and strengthen the capacities of communities to plan, implement and manage their resources. Small to medium scale community infrastructure projects will be undertaken targeting the identified community needs. Line government departments, primarily at the district and sub-district levels, will provide a range of support services. Employment and income generating activities will form part of the agricultural and environmental rehabilitation programmes, with emphasis on the special needs of vulnerable groups, especially women.
The programme will be implemented in 30 districts, most of them in Balochistan and KPK, and six urban areas. As its ultimate impact, it will ensure a predictable, safe stay, with documentation, for Afghans in Pakistan, and substantially improve the standard of living of over 1 million Pakistanis who have, or who are still, hosting Afghans. Crucially, it will strengthen the Pakistan Government’s governance and public service delivery. The total cost of the programme over five years is USD 140 million.
Objectives Refugee Affected Areas initiative contributes to a transition from purely humanitarian to more development oriented interventions aimed at the environmental rehabilitation and socio-economic development of selected areas and communities impacted by the presence of Afghans. The specific objectives include:
Greater social cohesion through community development
Improved livelihoods and local economies
Restoration of social services and infrastructure
Improved social protection for co-existing Pakistani and Afghan communities
Restoration and improvement of the environment
Key Achievements
The interventions under RAHA are leading to stronger social cohesion and co-existence among the two population’s i.e. local Pakistani communities and the refugees.
-Through effective social mobilization the programme has formed Community Organisations (COs) in target districts.
-1,053 community members have been trained on: concepts of development process; fundamentals of conflict resolution; community and leadership management skills; need resolutions: CO formation; and orientation to bank account opening and record keeping.
-7 Provincial Task Force meetings and 45 District Coordination Committee meetings have been held to strengthen coordination mechanisms, steer the programme and provide oversight.
-527 Government officials have been trained on project cycle management, conflict resolution, effective communication, disaster risk reduction, and gender mainstreaming.
-35 Public Health Engineering Department officials (PHED) has been trained to test the water quality in collaboration with Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR). Water quality testing kits have also been given to the trainees.
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A professional coordination body is urgently needed, even at this late stage in the Afghan refugee era, run perhaps by a consortium of international organizations, NGOs and Afghan/Pakistani social sector specialists and managers to supervise activities related to Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
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Section IV Situation Analysis: A Statistical Education Profile of Afghan Refugees
By the end of last year, there were about 373,000 families with over 2 million members living in Pakistan. Of the 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees, only 750,000 live in 84 Refugee Villages (RVs) in KP (71); Balochistan (12), and Punjab (1). Almost 60% of the registered Afghans live in urban and quasi‐urban areas.
Courtesy: UNHCR Pakistan Photo Gallery
Table 2: Remaining Afghan Population in Pakistan till November 2011
Provinces #Families #Individuals
KPK 239,666 1,175,320
Balochistan 71,007 480,828
Sindh 17,374 87,599
Punjab 36,107 213,752
Islamabad 7,736 39,736
AJK 1,426 8,210
TOTAL 373,316 2,005,445
Source: UNCR Pakistan; Islamabad
In Pakistan many of the poorest parents from pre‐existing and now new refugee populations are compelled to push their children to work in industries that place the young people at great risk. Thousands of children and adolescents are fending for themselves and their families as principal wage earners, with few options
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for education or other care. Thousands are carpet weavers, “street children” engaged in “garbage picking,” beggars, brick makers, house servants and, in some cases, drug sellers. These activities expose them to physical and psychological abuse and disease. Work became more difficult for many in the wake of the September 11 attacks, as new refugee children entered the competition for resources in Pakistan while employment opportunities and already low wages for refugees had diminished. Under such circumstances, many Afghan refugee children were denied their fundamental right to education.
The Census of Afghans in Pakistan report (2005) prepared by the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, Government of Pakistan stated that the ethnic breakdown of Afghan refugees in Pakistan was as follows: Pashtuns (81.5%), Tajiks (7.3%), Uzbeks (2.3%), Hazara (1.3%), Turkmen (2.0%), Balochi (1.7%) and others (3.9%).
The average Afghan refugee household size is 7 members per households across the country. An estimated 40% of the refugee population is aged between 5‐17 years i.e., school‐going age. This is equally divided between boys and girls. As Pakistan has provided refuge to Afghans since 1979, it is not surprising that three‐fourths of the Afghan refugee population was born in Pakistan.
Literacy and Education Literacy levels among Afghan refugees are very low. According to informal estimates, of the population 12+ years, almost 40% males are literate and 12% females are literate. The levels are much lower than the average literacy rate of 57% for Pakistan. Female literacy rates among Afghan refugee women range between as low as 4% in certain areas of KP to 20% in districts such as Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Rough estimates indicate that about 70% of registered Afghans did not have any formal education and only 20% were active in the labour market. Despite some of economic the hardships and challenges faced in Pakistan, many Afghans are not willing to return home in the nearby future, citing security concerns and lack of shelter or livelihood opportunities in Afghanistan. About 6,500 Afghans are studying in various universities across Pakistan, with 729 or so as exchanged students who earned scholarships from the Government of Pakistan. There are also numerous Afghan schools throughout Pakistan which cater to the educational needs of thousands of Afghan refugee children. The wealthy and well‐off Afghans live in cities where they rent houses, drive cars, work in offices or run own businesses, with their children being enrolled in better schools and universities.
According to the estimates of the National Data and Registration Authority (NADRA), there are 386,390 Afghan refugee children of the primary school going age (6‐11 years old). Of these, 57% have no education. Only 15% attend formal primary school while 23% attend non formal school and 2% attend non formal religious school (Table 3).
Table 3: Afghan Refugee Children aged 6-11 years by Education Status
Province/Areas Total Number of Children (6-11 yrs)
Percentage of Children in:
Primary Non Formal
Religious Non Formal
Others or no Education
Balochistan 102,662 4.8 36.5 5.7 53.0
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KP 218,371 20.3 18.4 3.3 58.1
Punjab 39,631 16.0 15.0 7.5 61.5
Sindh 15,097 6.0 20.6 28.2 45.2
ICT 7,292 19.1 9.2 4.6 67.2
Northern Districts 1,908 32.8 19.7 6.7 40.8
AJ&K 1,329 17.9 12.1 2.0 67.9
TOTAL 386,290 15% 23% 5% 57%
Source: National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA); Govt. of Pakistan; Islamabad
Box 2: Afghan Refugee Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
In early 1980s, all the migrated Afghan refugees were living in camps. Schools were established in camps and the process of Teaching –Learning started. In the early days of their migration the Afghan parents decided to educate their children in the curriculum which was in vogue in Afghanistan. In a later stage, when the Afghan Refugees started living in urban areas of different cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, some of the parents opted for education which was being imparted in Pakistani schools. The rest sent their children to schools where Afghani curriculum was taught. Thus there are two kinds of Afghani students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – the one who are studying in Pakistani institutions and the one who are being educated in Afghani schools using their own curriculum. At the moment there are 129 primary schools (Grade 1 to 6) which are UNHCR funded and which has accommodated some 57,000 students. Similarly there are 200 secondary schools which are registered with UNHCR. The exact figure of those afghan students is not known who are getting their education in Pakistani schools.
KP Policy Analysis Report; Unpublished; UNESCO; January 2012
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Courtesy: UNHCR Pakistan Photo Gallery
Of the Afghan refugee population, almost 20% males and 6% females are attending some kind of educational institution (formal or informal). Formal institutions include primary, middle, secondary and tertiary institutions while informal education includes vocational training, religious and other institutions. Majority of the formal education students, particularly females, are in primary classes. Pakistan had made considerable efforts to provide education, especially primary and secondary levels, to the refugees. Available information estimates that most primary schools, for both boys and girls, are within close proximity (within 15 minutes walking distance) from the areas of refugee residences. In informal interviews, an overwhelming majority of refugee households said there were no problems in school education or environment (such as building maintenance, etc). However, some said that quality of teaching was poor; there were fewer than required teachers; and that there was a lack of teaching/learning materials.
Box 3: Education in Refugee Camps (Baluchistan)
In Balochistan, the education in Afghan refugee camps is provided through implementation partners. Currently the bulk of schools are run by Save the Children (UK) with 25 schools. Society for Promotion of Primary Education in Balochistan (SPPEB) runs 11 schools. Nine other schools run independently in Quetta. A total of forty five schools funded by the UNHCR enrolled about 17,103 Afghan children with a teaching staff of 423. Initially started for grades 1‐6 these have now been extended to grade 8 on demand of the refugee community.
Afghan curriculum is taught in these schools and teachers are trained to teach in Persian and Pashto. On completion of grade 8 children can request for issuance of a certificate from the Afghan Consulate for issuance of certificate to continue education in Pakistan or repatriate to the home country. Drop outs due to labour opportunities and seasonal migration due to cropping hinder continuation of education. In addition to UNHCR schools there are also privately run madrassas in the refugee camps.
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Balochistan Policy Analysis Report; Unpublished; UNESCO; January 2012
In general, Afghan refugee households are very poor. Most households are unable to afford even the very
basic amenities and depend largely on the assistance of the host country. As such there is a large group of
out of school refugee children. Informal discussions with refugee households on reasons for children not
attending school revealed that, except for the financial aspect, there were different reasons for boys than
those for girls. For boys, the key reasons for not attending school are: (i) needed to work for family; (ii)
expensive; and (iii) did not like school. For girls, major reasons included: (i) family did not allow; (ii)
expensive; and (iii) marriage.
Present Concerns and Implications for the Near Future
With political instability, civil strife and grave law and order situation in their country, the Afghan refugees are worried about various aspects of their daily life in Pakistan as well as uncertain about their time of return to their homeland. Interviews with groups of refugee males and females indicate that the pressing concerns are: (i) income/livelihood; (ii) shelter; (iii) health; and (iv) water. Deportation and registration are minor concerns. Under these circumstances, the parents have neither the will nor the ability to focus on their children’s education.
Courtesy: UNHCR Pakistan Photo Gallery
It is therefore essential that Pakistan, within the EFA framework, should invest resources in the education of the refugee children as well otherwise by the end of the decade, there will be a huge backlog of these uneducated children and youth, most of whom may be amalgamated in the local population.
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Discussions with various groups of refugees reveal that while all refugees intend to return to Afghanistan, an overwhelming majority has no time frame in mind for returning to Afghanistan.
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Section V
Key Challenges to Afghan Refugee Education
Afghan refugee children education in Pakistan faces severe challenges including financial constraint, few schools, poor quality of education as well as cultural barriers to girls’ schooling, along with uncertain schedule of refugee repatriation to Afghanistan.
1. Financial Constraint: There is an absence of resource allocation for afghan refugee children education in the regular annual budgets of the federal and provincial governments. With only 2% of GDP being allocated to education in the country, any further specific financial allocation to education of refugees, whose future in Pakistan is not certain, is not easily possible. Pakistan, therefore, largely depends on UNHCR and other development partners for assistance to refugees. An international consortium should, therefore, be set up to raise funds globally for the assistance of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
2. High Cost of Sending Children to School: Due to very high poverty levels of refugee families, most boys are not allowed by their parents to attend school as they are required to earn for the family while for girls, cultural values or long distance commuting to school can be barriers to education. Informal interviews have also indicated that both boys and girls also do not attend school due to it being “expensive”.
3. Access to Education is Limited: Given that there are few Afghan schools and access to Pakistani schools is difficult, Afghan refugee children have limited opportunities to education. In addition, it is often stated that schools are not in close proximity to the residences and it is difficult for girls to commute long distances to attend school. Also absence of female teachers discourages parents from sending daughters to school. Schools, especially for girls, should be set up in close proximity to residences as well as additional incentives should be provided to female teachers.
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Box 4: Afghan Student Problems in KP
Afghan students face many problems at higher levels of education. They have no public examination system for 10th or 12th classes and their admission in higher classes in Pakistani institutes is a problem. In professional colleges admission granted is quota‐specific and that too is not possible for a poor refugee student. In this scenario, if the Afghan nationals are repatriated to their own country, then mainstreaming of these children will not be a problem and they will be able to continue their studies in Afghanistan. But if they remain in Pakistan and their refugee status is withdrawn, then closure of refugee schools will be a big problem.
KP Policy Analysis Report; Unpublished; UNESCO; January 2012
4. Quality of Education is Poor. In informal interviews, parents have complained that there are few teachers and the quality of teaching is poor with a shortage of teaching/learning materials in schools. This is largely due to the non availability of qualified and trained female teachers in remote areas of the provinces where the refugee population resides. Extra efforts need to be made for hiring of female teachers and for conducting teachers’ training programmes.
5. Lack of Physical Facilities in School: Refugee schools have been reported to be lacking in physical facilities such as boundary walls, toilets and drinking water. Provision of these facilities will improve school attendance.
6. Uncertain Schedule of Refugee Repatriation: One of the key challenges to refugee children education in Pakistan is the uncertain schedule of their stay in Pakistan. Given the unstable political and serious law and order situation in Afghanistan, an overwhelming majority of refugees, while they intend to return home, are not certain of the time of their return. As such planners are unable to assess the education needs (the number of school‐age children; the physical and financial requirements of teachers, classrooms, learning materials, etc.) and develop programmes to meet these needs.
7. Medium of Instruction: Another major issue in refugee education is the confusion regarding the medium of instruction. In Afghan refugee camp schools, children are taught Afghan curriculum in their native languages i.e. Dari and/or Pushto which will be helpful if the families return to Afghanistan in the near future. However, refugee children attending Pakistani schools are taught Pakistani curriculum in Urdu which will, in the long run, enable the refugee children find jobs and settle in Pakistan. It may be possible that the medium of their children’s instruction would impact the decision of the refugee families to return to Afghanistan or settle in Pakistan.
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Section VI
Opportunities for Afghan Refugees
A Consultative Meeting on Voluntary Repatriation of Afghan refugees was convened in Islamabad recently by Ministry of SAFRON.The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of SAFRON, Ministry of Interior, Home Secretaries of KPK and Balochistan, UNHCR, CCAR provincial Commissioners for Afghan Refugees, representatives of the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Returnees (MoRR) in Islamabad and DoRR in Peshawar and Quetta.
The participants expressed hope that adoption of a Regional Solutions Strategy and the convocation in Switzerland of the forthcoming International Conference in May 2012 on Solutions for Afghan Refugees will help mobilize additional support and resources for the implementation of the comprehensive durable solutions strategy for Afghans in the region, including repatriation of the recognized Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
Box 5: The Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries
Recognizing the complexity of the refugee and displacement issues still affecting the region as a whole and acknowledging the potential volatility of the transition process, the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, with the support of UNHCR, initiated a quadripartite consultative process in 2011. The Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries is the culmination of an intensive, collaborative negotiation process. It represents the consensus of the three governments and their respective UN Country Teams to develop a multi‐year approach to address the situation of Afghan refugees and returnees.
The Solutions Strategy is also in line with the declaration of the recent Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan, which noted the value of regional initiatives “aimed at intensifying cooperation and dialogue between Afghanistan and regional countries, recognizing the intertwined nature of various challenges faced by all countries in the region.”
Underscoring the Solutions Strategy are three main themes:
· Creating conditions conducive for voluntary repatriation through community based investments in areas of high return;
· Building Afghan refugee capital linked to livelihood opportunities in Afghanistan to facilitate return; &
· Preserving asylum space in host countries (including, enhanced support to refugee hosting communities, alternative temporary stay arrangements and resettlement in third countries).
The Solutions Strategy fosters an integrated framework for regional cooperation, coordination and support to the situation of Afghan refugees. This initiative is essential in sustaining international focus on humanitarian issues during the coming unpredictable period of transition in Afghanistan, which may also
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impact the region. Drawing on the fruitful experience of the quadripartite consultative process, the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan agreed to establish a Quadripartite Steering Committee that will guide the overall implementation of the Solutions Strategy.
The Steering Committee will also oversee resource mobilization and the management of a new regional multi‐donor trust fund (MDTF) being established as a means for donors to commit development resources in support of the Strategy, in addition to the current financing of bi‐lateral initiatives and UNHCR’s annual program. The Steering Committee will seek the broader participation of relevant partners among development and bi‐lateral actors, as necessary, to benefit from multi‐disciplinary expertise, knowledge, networks and resources, with a view to linking activities between humanitarian interventions to community‐based and community driven development interventions.
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Section VII Case Studies of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
This section is based on a set of case studies of Afghan refugees. The first case study displays how an education programme set up for the refugees initially by an international committee is now being successfully run by a local NGO. Other case studies indicate that in Afghanistan, with a devastated economy and poor law and order situation, refugees who are repatriated do not find opportunities in any field, especially education, and prefer to return to or stay back in Pakistan.
1. The Refugees Education Programme (REP)
The Refugees Education Programme (REP) began in 1992 by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and provides education to Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Following the exit strategy, the program was handed over to the Participatory Rural Development Society (PRDS), a National NGO on October 1, 2010. Currently, the program manages 15 schools located in impoverished communities in Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi (9 urban & 6 camp – based).
All 15 schools have been providing quality educational services to around 10,000 Afghan refugee children (63% girls & 37% boys) in different areas of Peshawar, Pakistan. The Afghan refugees speak both Dari and Pashto and hail from the north and southeast, as well as Kabul and surrounding rural areas. The schools have functional School Management Committee (SMC) networks made up of school principals and teachers. The SMC networks create a sound teaching and learning atmosphere by planning relevant educational activities, managing and implementing educational and administrative decisions and involving community members in decision‐making by arranging meetings with them.
These schools are officially registered with the Afghan Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Afghan Consulate General in Peshawar. The schools implement the official Afghan Curriculum and follow Afghan MoE policies, rules and regulations. The management staff of REP/ PRDS is collaborating with MoE officials and other stakeholders in Kabul to facilitate the seamless process of reintegration and repatriation of Afghan students and teachers. PRDS also issues school‐leaving certificates duly signed by Afghan Education Attaché to the students and teachers who want to repatriate.
Outcomes
On the whole, more than 50,000 students have graduated from REP schools during the last 18 years.
There are 393 Educational Personnel working in all 15 schools.
There are 241 female teachers, including 4 female preschool teachers, and 77 male.
There are 39 mentor teachers, of which 24 are female. Of the 9,258 students, there are 5,891 girls and 3,467 boys.
Lessons Learned • Building safer schools has encouraged more girls to be in school; • Community participation encourages parents to send their children, especially girls, to school; and
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• M&E done by the community has allowed them to truly have ownership over their school. Coordinating with MOEs and other stakeholders have allowed us to build good relations and ease the process of repatriation and reintegration. Graduates of REP schools who have repatriated to Afghanistan are working at very good positions with the Government of Afghanistan and NGOs and taking part in the development of Afghanistan. However sustainability needs to be kept in mind as the program was handed over to PRDS without any funding and without a strategy for sustainability
2. “If we are given a choice, I would like to live here than in Afghanistan….”
“If we are given a choice, I would like to live here than in Afghanistan since there is no stability and peace there,” said Rabia, 23, a married woman with three kids. Rabia comes from the Farmankhel town in Laghman province and teaches at a school in the Jalozai camp.
The Pashto speaking Rabia came to Pakistan when she was 12. She has lived in the camp for the past 22 years. Her family came to Pakistan due to war in Afghanistan. She said that conditions back home were harsh. She had been getting news about insurgents burning girls’ schools in her hometown from her relatives in Afghanistan who visit her. She went to Afghanistan last year but couldn’t find a teaching job so she returned to the camp in Pakistan. She said whenever the repatriation process started, the authorities did not provide them any information about conditions back home.
She also said that it was much better to live in a camp in Pakistan than Afghanistan as there were no schools, no water or electricity. She said patients from towns died on their way to hospitals in cities since there were few hospitals in towns and villages.
She said that if her family “was” repatriated, they would go to live in Kabul. “Even here in Pakistan, families who could afford to go to live in cities like Peshawar have shifted there”, said Rabia.
“Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Push Comes to Shove”; HRCP; April 2009
3. “For me, my country is Pakistan” says Zabihullah
In Afghanistan, Zabihullah is called Pakistani but Pakistanis know him as muhajir (a refugee).
He lived his entire life in Pakistan, yet he is struggling to make it his identity. The young man battles to stay in Pakistan to carry on a life he has build over a period of three decades to avoid starting life from scratch in Afghanistan, the country of his origin. “For me, my country is Pakistan,” he said as pressure from authorities mounts on Afghan refugees to return.
Zabihullah is from a generation of refugees that was born and raised in Pakistan or born in Afghanistan and raised in Pakistan. If living a refuge life was a compulsion for them, leaving Pakistan is not a choice. “I don’t want to shift to Afghanistan. For them, I am a Pakistani”, he said as United Nations High Commission for Refugees speed up repatriation.
His family brought the one‐year old Zabihullah from Shalatak in Afghanistan’s eastern Laghman province to Pakistan in 1984. “We are muhajir or Kabuli here, but I wish to live my whole life in Paksiatn”, he said.
Zabihullah and his family have been living in Dir town, Upper Dir since 1986. He has all his indelible memories of Pakistan. “I played in streets here. I went to schools in this country. I know the young and the
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old of this town and I have all my friends, including the best ones in Pakistan.” He said as he sat in his small cloth shop that he has been running in Dir bazaar since 1990.
The News International; Friday March 2, 2012
4. “The Afghan Government can help the returning refugees by providing them shelter at a designated area and provide basic facilities to the returning refugees”.
Seerat, 20, is a student in a local Afghan university. She belongs to Kunar province. Her family also left Afghanistan due to war. Seerat’s father works at a shop to take care of ten children, five of them girls.
Seerat said that she got information from her relatives that although fighting has stopped but terrorism was very much a threat. She said women were not allowed to work so it would be very difficult for her family to make ends meet since they have no land or house in their village. She said that if there was no work for her and her sisters and no education facilities, it would be difficult to survive in Afghanistan. Moreover, they had been hearing news of suicide bombings, threats to working women and school‐going girls which discourages her and her family from going back. She said her brother also went to Afghanistan but came back as there was no security there.
“If we are forced to leave the camp, we would probably go to Jalalabad”, she said. She complained about mistreatment of returning families at the Torkham border. She said the Afghan government can help the returning refugees by providing them shelter at a designated area and provide basic facilities to the returning refugees.
“Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Push Comes to Shove”; HRCP; April 2009
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Section VIII Policy Recommendations
The situation analysis and case studies, along with the gradual annual decline in the number of refugees returning to Afghanistan, clearly indicate that not very many Afghan refugees are likely to be voluntarily repatriated in the next few years. Under the prevailing situation in Afghanistan, where law and order is worsening and militant activities continue unabated, many refugees appear uncomfortable and unwilling to return home. This implies that Pakistan is likely to remain host to the present 1.7 million Afghan refugees with a high probability that many (or even most) of the earlier‐repatriated refugees may even return to Pakistan.
To accommodate and properly care for this marginalized group, Pakistan has to bear the responsibility of providing them with basic amenities such as food, shelter, clothing and facilities such as water and electricity. More importantly, services such as education and health will also have to be provided to the refugees.
While Pakistan’s efforts at accommodating refugees over the past three decades are greatly appreciated, poorly functioning economy and increasingly binding fiscal and resource constraints, indicate that Government of Pakistan alone will not be able to shoulder this heavy responsibility. Therefore, the Government should be actively and adequately supported by other development partners, both international and local, in meeting this challenge.
More specifically:
• While a lot of initiatives are underway to provide fundamental amenities and basic services to
Afghan refugees, these efforts suffer from poor coordination and weak management. A professional coordination body is, therefore, urgently needed to coordinate and better manage these activities. Comprising the representatives from the government and international organizations and key NGOs working for rehabilitation of refugees (with linkages to Afghan and Pakistani experts and institutions in each field of activity), this body would assess the needs of the refugees; plan and coordinate external assistance/aid; and organize and operate fund‐raising campaigns globally. This body on its own, or through induction of communities and civil society, will periodically monitor the refugee situation and adjust the plans accordingly.
• To decrease the dependency of the refugees on other groups, potential service providers from within the refugees may be identified to provide basic services to the refugee population under each initiative designed for refugee support. In fact, some educated and active refugees can be hired to assist in the coordination activities and delivery of services such as teaching, paramedics or support staff.
• For the deserving and more vulnerable segments of refugee population, conditional grant schemes may be piloted to assess the possibility of expanding income‐earning activities for the refugees so as to make them made self‐sufficient to the extent possible.
To improve the education status of the refugee population, certain measures need to be undertaken on an urgent basis:
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• Regular collection of statistics is essential for systematic and effective planning. As such, reliable information should be collected on the number of refugee children, their age groups and education status to ascertain their schooling needs such as teachers, learning and teaching materials as well as school environment i.e., classrooms, utilities and other facilities;
• For delivery of quality education to the refugees, financial as well other resource arrangements, with assistance from international development partners, should be developed to assist Pakistan meet the needs of the refugee population. In this UNHCR, UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP will have to share the financial and technical responsibilities.
• Special focus should be placed on the provision of education to girls and females. In this, recruitment and training of female teachers as well as security and close proximity of schools should be ensured.
• Literacy programmes should also be run for adult illiterates, especially for youth and women. This would help in improving children’s enrolment in schools.
No refugee population can endlessly stay on in any host country. Experience suggests that either it amalgamates with the local population or it returns home. In this situation, too, it is expected that some proportion of refugees will stay back forever while the remaining will return to Afghanistan. To facilitate the return of most refugees, the international community as well as the Afghan Government, too, should be requested to make efforts at improving the political and civil situation in Afghanistan or in the interim period, develop designated areas with all facilities for their returnee citizens.
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ANNEX B
Policy Review and Way Forward
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Mainstreaming Education of Afghan Refugees’ Children
(MEARC)
Policy Review and Way Forward
March 2012
Consultants
Society for Community Support for Primary Education, Baloshistan (SCSPEB)
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List of Acronyms
AR Afghan Refugees
ARC Afghan Refugee Children
BEMIS Balochistan Education Management Information System
BISE Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education
ECE Early Childhood Education
EFA Education for All
GoB Government of Balochistan
GoP Government of Pakistan
MICS Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey
NEP National Education Policy
NPA Nation Plan of Action
POR Proof of Registration
PPIU Policy, Planning and Implementation Unit
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
SAFRON Ministry of State and Frontier Regions
SCSPEB Society for Community Support for Primary Education, Balochistan
SHP School Health Programme
SITAN Situation Analysis
UN United Nations
UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees
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Table of Contents
BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Strategy Adopted .................................................................................................................... 2
2. Methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 3
3. Review of Literature ............................................................................................................................. 3
4. Situation Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 4
Citizenship Act 1951 .................................................................................................................... 6
Alienation of Refugee Children Education in Policy and Planning ................................................ 7
5. Discussion Points Emerged from the District and Provincial Seminars .................................. 7 6. Action Points ........................................................................................................................... 8
A. Formulation of Policy ............................................................................................................... 8
a. Enhancing Definition of Free and Compulsory Education ........................ 8
b. Admission Policy ................................................................................................... 8
c. Documentation ....................................................................................................... 9
B. Suggestions Specific to UNHCR .................................................................................. 10
a. Advocacy for Policy on Refugee Education ................................................ 10
b. Refugees Population Census ............................................................................ 10
c. Arrangement of Financial Resources ............................................................. 10
TABLE OF RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................................................................... 11
Mainstreaming Education of Afghan Refugees’ Children
BACKGROUND
Afghan refugees have been in Pakistan for almost three decades. Balochistan hosts the second highest
number of refugees behind Khyber-pakhtunkhwa. There are presently 10 Afghan refugee camps in the
province concentrated in 7 districts. Additionally a substantive population lives in Quetta city in 6
different locations of the city. Over the years education of refugee children has been a concern of the
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refugee community itself, United Nationals High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the
Government of Pakistan. In 1983 support to education of Afghan children in Pakistan was initiated by
the UNHCR. After 2001 a tripartite agreement was signed between the governments of Pakistan, and
Afghanistan and the UNCR. Under the agreement UNHCR and Pakistan agreed to support refugees in
Pakistan till 31 December 2012. The support would include education services for the refugee children.
Under the arrangement 25 formal schools and 10 ‘Home Based Girls Schools’ were set up in refugee
camps. Additionally the Afghan Consulate in Quetta recognizes education from a limited number of
schools and children passing from these are provided a certificate of recognition by the former. These
schools use Afghan curriculum and are taught in their native languages of Pashto and Darri. With the
term for the ‘Tripartite Agreement’ approaching a need for Pakistani education system to provide for
their education has become increasingly imperative.
This entire situation needed to formulate a far-reaching policy to include not only the Refugee Children
but also all the vulnerable children of the indigenous poor population of the area. This document is
supposed to be a supportive policy document as Inclusive Education for ARCs
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1. Strategy Adopted:
The following approach was adapted to formulate a strategy for developing Education policy:
• A consultative and participatory approach was adopted to sensitize and involve relevant
stakeholders on the inclusive education, specially the marginalized groups to cater all left
over groups including Afghan refugees children.
• It emphasizes on laying grounds for devising comprehensive future programs based on
inclusiveness, undertaking sector situation assessment and analyzing and mapping of
refugee/ local education services and resources.
• It aims for strategy formulation, advocacy seminars, preparation and dissemination of
advocacy materials (Brochures, charts, banners, pamphlets, etc) and policy dialogue for
institutionalization and scaling up of quality basic education (including Early Childhood
Education), focusing on disadvantaged and vulnerable population including Refugee
children.
• The Plan will also include issues of education of Afghan refugees in the education sector
situation analysis at the provincial level in Balochistan.
• It would advocate for up-scaling and institutionalization of School Health Programs (SHP)
in the country with a focus on vulnerable groups, including Afghan children in Pakistan.
• It would include training of 80-100 teachers in Health Education and Health Screening,
printing & dissemination of materials (e.g. charts, posters, banners, guidebooks, HSP
materials, health screening, materials to improve teaching learning conditions in ECE centers
and primary schools as per minimum standard, etc) and seminars on SHP. It also involve
institutional upgrading through distribution of minimum standard equipment and teaching
learning materials in order to promote inclusion of marginalized and refugee children.
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2. Methodology
A successful advocacy process was completed to sensitize the key stakeholders to meet the need of
mainstreaming refugee education and secondly for inclusion of refugee children education in the
EFA plans (district/provincial). The following activities were organized:
• Coordination/advocacy meetings with provincial and focused district authorities to seek their
support, inputs and develop ownership;
• Review of literature regarding education policy and planning (detailed list of literature
reviewed is appended) Collection, review and analysis of secondary data;
• Identification of organizational Focal persons.
• Identification and selection of teachers and organizing training in 5 groups on health
education and health screening.
• Organizing stakeholder workshop at focused districts and provincial level.
• Design and sharing of the provincial primary education plan and district EFA Plan in the
context of ARCs
• Dissemination of Advocacy material and public awareness seminars
3. Review of Literature
The following literature was reviewed:
• National Education Policy 2009
• EFA Plan for district Pishin and Quetta 2011-15 Provincial EFA Plan 2011-15
• Provincial Plan of Action July 2011
• ECE provincial Plan 2011-15
• District Pishin ECE Plan 2011-15
• Child Rights Convention 19UN Convention on Status and Rights of Refugees 1951
• Constitution of Pakistan - Article 25A (introduced through 18th amendment)
• Situation Analysis on education sector planning by PPIU and UNESCO 2011
• Stakeholders’ Conference on Afghan Situation (Zero Draft) 26th September 2011
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• Mainstreaming in Education
• MICS Report 2010
• Population Census Report 1998 (Pakistan)
• Zero Draft of Situation Analysis Report: Balochistan Education Sector Plan (SITAN)
Unicef 2012 (unpublished)
• Education Strategy 2012-16 by UNHCR
• Poverty Reduction Strategy paper (PRSP)
• National Plan of Action EFA 2001-15
• Strategy Paper on Refugees 2012-16 by UNHCR
• Citizenship act 1951 (Pakistan)
4. Situation Analysis
Traditionally the national schools system have neither encouraged nor discouraged Afghan children but
they have remained marginal to the sector. The main exclusion factors have been the inability of non-
Pakistani nationals to appear for public examinations conducted by the Board of Intermediate and
Secondary Education (BISE), the relatively low demand for education in the refugee community,
movement of children during harvest seasons and the demand to be taught in their native languages and
the Afghan curriculum. Poverty prevails in camps making education a low priority. The Government of
Balochistan has had an indifferent approach to refugee children and they neither formally nor informally
consider them a marginalized group with reference to education.
Any step towards inclusion of refugee children in the mainstream education sector of the province
would require recognition of these children as a responsibility of the provincial education department.
Secondly, these children would need to be considered marginalized for any ‘inclusive education’ policy
in the province. The latter would require a proactive approach from the provincial government of
‘targeting’ refugee children. In recent provincial plans Afghan Refugee Children have not been
recognized as responsibility of the provincial education department. These include the ‘Balochistan
Action Plan’ 2011 and the provincial ECE and EFA Plans.
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With the inclusion of Article 25A in the Constitution of Pakistan the ‘state’ is responsible for provision
of education to all children between ages 5 to 16 as a fundamental right. Irrespective of the
constitutional provision under the UN Convention on Status and Rights of Education 1951 the host
country is obliged to provide elementary education to refugee children.
Any step towards inclusion of refugee children in the mainstream education, the province requires
recognition of these children as a responsibility of the provincial education department just because of
18th amendment otherwise principally they are not its liability. Secondly, these children needed to be
considered marginalized for any ‘inclusive education’ policy in the province.
When we glance on the international scenario of refugees’ situation the responsibility of education goes
upon the shoulders of UNHCR to formulate a policy for education in the hosting countries. It is
mandatory to it according to its following proclamation:
“While ensuring an inclusive education programming that is planned and monitored through an Age, Gender and Diversity
approach. With its partners, UNHCR will • Develop strong working partnerships with Ministries of Education at national
and local levels in 100% of Country Programmes • Strengthen staff and national partner capacity and ensure that partners
have expertise in education, collect and manage data so that education programmes are monitored, evaluated for quality,
inclusiveness and efficiency, and improved Engage in innovative use of information and communication technology to
expand education opportunities in both formal and non-formal sectors.” (Education Strategy 2012-2016 (UNHCR))
Education was in the Concurrent Legislative List in the Constitution. However, after the 18th
Amendment, the Federal Government has only to manage external affairs, education regarding Pakistani
students in foreign countries and foreign students in Pakistan, and inter-provincial matters and co-
ordination. In the constitution of Pakistan Education is responsibility of the provinces. The Article 25-A
stipulates, “The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to
sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law”.
According to this amendment Curriculum, Syllabus, Planning, Policy, Centers of Excellence, education
standards, and Islamic Education are now provincial subjects.
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The article 25-A categorically emphasizes that the state will be responsible for free and compulsory
education of all the children in 5 – 16 ages. Obviously it includes the Refugee Children of the said age
group. However this important provision has been ignored by concerned quarter. The GOP has so for
been cooperating with the UNHCR and other agencies in the management of AR children on
humanitarian grounds only. It does not till now consider it a constitutional obligation. Background of
the attitude is that the Government of Pakistan was not the signatory of Refugee Convention 1951.
The Citizenship Act 1951 (Pakistan)
The Citizenship Act 1951 (Pakistan) does not provide any space for the Refugees who migrate to
Pakistan from a country other the India after the year 1951. Therefore the GOP feels itself free of any
responsibility with reference to ARs Education.
The Government of Pakistan may realize that in the light of Article 25-A of the constitution every child
in the country irrespective of his/her nationality, is the liability of the state in respect of education. It is
obviously to be emphasized that refugee children are in no way excluded from the application of this
Article.
In spite of the above situation the Pakistan society cannot stay astray from the obligation of helping the
ARs in education of their children. Practically a large number of AR children are studying in public
schools. The GOP has fixed quota for AR students in its professional educational institutions. It warrants
that Government may adopt a clear policy for AR education and allow the children to take admission in
the public schools like Pakistani children. It may be pointed out that the government of Pakistan has
already reserved some seats in its institutions of higher and professional education for refugee students.
It also signifies the importance of inclusion of children in the mainstream of education at lower levels.
Alienation of Refugee Children Education in Policy and Planning
Although the Government of Pakistan is facilitating the refugee children in education on humanitarian
grounds but the study of literature reveals that the Government of Pakistna or the provincial
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government do not consider it as their responsibility. The following important documents on education
policy and planning are silent in this respect.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2009
• National EFA Plan 2001-15
• Provincial/District EFA Plans Balochistan 2001-15 and 2011-15
• Provincial/District ECE Plan Balochistan 2011-15
• Balochistan Education Action Plan 2011
5. Discussion Points Emerged from the District and Provincial Seminars:
As result of discussions in the District and Provincial Seminars the following points emerged which
needs to be kept in view during formulation of any policy for mainstreaming in education of Afghan
Refugee Children.
1) The AR children’s curriculum needs are different as compared to the Pakistani children.
Therefore adjustment in the curriculum to accommodate the ARs will be required
2) The ARs children speak Pashtu and Durri language where as the medium of instruction in
local system in Urdu. It will create problems, both for children and the teachers
3) The schools already face problems of space toilet drinking water and other resources.
Admission of AR children will further deplore the situation. Additional financial resources
will be required to meet the needs
4) The village schools are mostly functioning in multi grade mode due to inadequate teacher
positions. The influx of AR children will demand appointment of additional teachers which
will enhance the financial liability of Government
[58]
5) With the appointment of new teachers training need will also enhance and it may disturb the
teacher’s supply and demand system
6) There is cultural and Psycho-social gap between the host communities and AR which may
generate differences and dispute among the children which may transit to the families. This
can create turmoil in the school and communities
7) Changing the policies is not an easy task. It requires a lot of advocacy, convincing and
motivation to change
6. Action Points
A. Formulation of Policy
a. Enhancing Definition of Free and Compulsory Education
The Ministry of SAFRON may initiate a proposal / draft law to include Refugee children in the
definition of free and compulsory education in pursuance of Article 25-A of the constitution.
b. Admission Policy
An Admission Policy for Refugee Children may be formulated which may include:
i. New admissions: Admission is allowed to the children as first entry in the school on
the production of any evidence regarding date of birth and legitimate guardianship of
the child.
ii. Reservation of Quota: Quota maybe reserved for Afghan Refugee Children for
admission in institutions of general, vocational and professional Education
iii. Migration from Refugee school to formal School: Such migration may be allowed on
fulfilling the terms and conductions laid by the education department.
iv. Determination of equivalence of pass outs of Afghan Refugee camp schools viz a viz
formal school system: Duration of Primary education in camp schools is 6 years
while this duration in Pak schools is 5 years. This difference sometimes creates
problems to get admission for middle school education. This problem may be
addressed through a policy for determination of equivalence of pass outs.
[59]
v. Permission to appear in the public examinations (regular/private candidate): The
education department and BISE may formulate a policy to allow AR children to
appear in public examinations.
c. Documentation
The following documentation shall be required for admission of AR children
i. Admission Form:
The admission form should contain all the details required for admission of a child in
the school for the first time i.e. an oath of the parents regarding date of birth,
tribe/caste, nationality, non admission in any school previously and the copy of proof
of registration (POR) card.
ii. Admission Registers:
Enrolment/Admission registers of public schools may add a column regarding the
nationality and caste/ tribe of the child.
iii. Six Monthly Statement (Goshwara) by school:
Six Monthly Statement (Goshwara) by school may indicate the enrolment of refugees
children (class wise) separately.
iv. Schools Census (BEMIS Record):
Afghan Refugee children enrolled in schools should be reported separately in school
census data collected for BEMIS record, which will help in future planning and
management.
v. Public Examinations:
The policy should lay down the term and conditions for refugee children to appear in
the public examinations.
vi. Certification
The certification should clearly indicate the status of AR children.
vii. International Equivalence
Govt. of Afghanistan and Pakistan should decide equivalence of academic
certificates issued by both the countries.
B. Suggestions Specific to UNHCR
[60]
Besides SAFRON, it is suggested that UNHCR may also concentrate on the following
suggestions for strengthening and improving of collaboration with the government of Pakistan as
UNHCR is mandated to facilitate the refugees in emergencies:
a. Advocacy for Policy on Refugee Education
UNHCR may be mandated to facilitate the refugees in respect of their education in the
hosting countries under their system. The UNHCR may take lead role in advocating the
policy development with the host country and facilitate its implementation.
b. Refugees Population Census
Population census of Refugees maybe conducted on regular basis along with details of
repatriation and data may readily be available for future planning.
c. Arrangement of Financial Resources
UNHCR may arrange financial resources to meet the challenge of mainstreaming of Refugee
children in education.
[61]
Table of Responsibilities
Sr. #
Action Approach Responsibility
1. Formulation of national Admission Policy for Refugee Children
Uniform National policy formation for admission of ARCs in local schools
SAFRON
2. Formulation of Admission Policy for Refugee Children in the province
Drafting the Policy and obtaining approval in the light of National Policy
Education Deptt GoB,
3. Grant of Permission for Admission in Professional Institutes
Reservation of quota/slot SAFRON and GoB
4. Rules for Migration from Refugee school to formal School
Initiation of proposal Director of Education (School), Education Department, GoB
5. Determination of equivalence of certificates
Initiation of proposal for consideration by Govt. of Pakistan and Afghanistan
SAFRON
6. Directives for amendment in Documents:
• Admission Form • Admission Registers
Initiation of directives for approval
Director of Education (Schools), Education Deptt. GoB
7. Directives for inclusion of ARCs in Six Monthly Statement (Goshwara):
Initiation of proposal for approval Director of Education (Schools), Education Deptt. GoB
8. Inclusion of data of ARC in Schools Census (BEMIS Record)
Initiation of proposal for approval BEMIS, Education Department, GoB
9. Policy for Appearing of ARC in Public Examinations
Formulation of a Policy BISE , Education Department, Govt. of Balochistan
10. Policy formation for International Equivalence
Formulation of a policy SAFRON, Education Department, Govt. of Balochistan
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ANNEX C
District EFA Plan (RAHA District) Pishin
[63]
Amended District EFA Plan
District Pishin
2011-2015
April 2012
Developed by
Society for Community Support for Primary Education, Balochistan (SCSPEB)
[64]
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................... 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Strategy Adopted to Develop EFA Plan in the Line of MEARC ............................................... 4
Methodology .......................................................................................................... 5
Situation Analysis ................................................................................................... 6
Review of Literature ................................................................................................................... 7
EFA Plan District Pishin ..................................................................................... 7
District Overview .................................................................................................... 9
Early Childhood Education ..................................................................................... 10
Primary Education ................................................................................................. 17
Budget ................................................................................................................. 25
[65]
Acknowledgement
Society for Community Support for Primary Education, Balochistan (SCSPEB) is pleased to acknowledge that it has developed this plan using the Basis of EFA Plan District Pishin, developed by NCHD with the financial support of UNESCO.
Society owes its gratitude to the UNESCO who considering the refugee children’s education important extended its financial support for developing this plan. Society is also grateful to the PPIU, UNHCR and CAR officials, Officials of district and provincial education department who provided their valuable inputs during the district and provincial seminars which helped develop the plan.
Instead of developing an additional plan for refugee children mainstreaming education the existing District EFA Plan has been worked on and refugee children have been added to the plan.
Irfan Ahmed Awan
Managing Director
SCSPEB
March 2012
[66]
Introduction
EFA BACKGROUND & MAINSTREAMING OF ARCS
Afghan refugees have been in Pakistan for almost three decades. Balochistan hosts the second highest number of refugees behind Khyberpakhtunkhwa. Around 0.8 million refugees reside in Balochistan & around 0.350 million have POR cards.
Over the years, education of refugee children has been a concern of the refugee community itself, United National High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) & the Government of Pakistan basis. Support to education of Afghan children in Pakistan was initiated by the UNHCR. In 1993 tripartite agreement was signed between the governments of Pakistan & Afghanistan & the UNCR in 2001. Under this agreement UNHCR & Pakistan agreed to support refugees in Pakistan till 31 December 2012. The support would include education services for the refugee children. The Refugees residing in Camps were facilitated with Educational facilities by UNHCR through partners, SCSPEB & SC, where the schooling is managed as per Afghan Curriculum & education is being conducted in Afghan Local Languages Pashto & Dari The Refugees living outside the camps; have mostly enrolled their children in public schools. In some areas where refugees live in big groups, some Private schools have emerged who teach Afghan Curriculum There are presently 10 Afghan Refugee camps in the province, located in 7 districts. Additionally a substantive population lives in 6 different locations in Quetta city. Under the arrangement 25 formal schools & 10 ‘Home Based Girls Schools’ were set up in refugee camps. The Afghan Consulate, in Quetta, recognizes Education imparted in the camp schools which is based on Afghan Curriculum. Afghan consulate accredits the certificate issued by their schools from admission in the private Afghan Schools & School system of Afghanistan. In these schools Pashto & Dari is used as medium of instruction the education indicators in respect of AR generally consider to be the poor as the facilities are limited as compared to population. The tripartite Agreement doesn’t provide for allowing the AR children get admission in government public schools. the reason is that the AR Children have to study afghan curriculum & their medium of instruction is Dari & Pashto where as Urdu is used in local schools. The government schools already overcrowded & in many cases dilapidated. Refugee children could not be accommodated into them without improving their condition & facility. Secondly the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE) requires a Pakistani citizenship or a National Identity & for admitting to examination which AR don’t have therefore there has been a ceiling on the progress.
This entire situation needed to formulate a far‐reaching policy to include not only the Afghani Children but all vulnerable children of the indigenous poor population of the area also. This document is supposed to be a supportive policy document for this purpose.
1. Strategy Adopted to Develop EFA Plan in the Line of MEARC: • A consultative & participatory approach was adopted to sensitize & involve relevant stakeholders on the
importance of qualitative & compulsory education to include all left over groups including Afghan refugees.
• It emphasizes on laying grounds for devising comprehensive future programs based on inclusiveness, conducting sector situation assessment & analyzing & mapping of refugee/ local education services & resources.
• Aiming at strategy formulation, advocacy seminars, preparation & dissemination of advocacy materials (Brochures, charts, banners, pamphlets, etc) & policy dialogue for institutionalization & scaling up of quality basic education (including Early Childhood Education), focusing on disadvantaged & vulnerable, including Afghan children.
[67]
• The Plan will also include issues of education of Afghan refugees in the education sector situation analysis at the district level in Pishin.
• It would advocate for up‐scaling & institutionalization of School Health Programs (SHP) with a focus on vulnerable groups, including Afghan children in district Pishin.
• This would include training of 40‐50 teachers in Health Education & Health Screening, printing, developing & dissemination of materials (e.g. charts, posters, banners, guidebooks, HSP materials, health screening, materials to improve teaching learning conditions in ECE centers & primary schools as per minimum st&ard, etc) & seminars on SHP. It also involve institutional upgrading through distribution of minimum st&ard equipment & teaching learning materials in order to promote inclusion of marginalized & refugee children.
2. Methodology
A successful advocacy process was completed to sensitize the key stakeholders to meet the need of mainstreaming refugee children & secondly for inclusion of Afghan refugee children in the district EFA plan. The following activities have been organized for the process: The following methodology has been adopted to design the amended EFA Plan: • Coordination/advocacy meetings with district authorities to seek their support, inputs & develop
ownership; • Review of previous literature focusing on EFA plan district Pishin • Collection, review & analysis of secondary data; • Identification & selection of Focal persons. • Identification & selection of teachers & giving training in 2 groups on health & health screening. • Organizing stakeholder workshop at focused district. • Design & sharing of the EFA Plan • Additionally the provincial policy framework was reviewed. The recently prepared ‘Draft Policy Analysis’
by UNESCO was used as the base document. • Negotiate inclusion of Afghan refugee children in the district EFA Plan for Pishin currently under
preparation.
3. Situation Analysis
Traditionally the national schools system have neither encouraged nor discouraged Afghan children but they have remained marginal to the sector. The main exclusion factors have been the inability of non‐Pakistani nationals to appear for public examinations conducted by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), the relatively low demand for education in the refugee community, movement of children during harvest seasons and the demand to be taught in the native languages anfd the Afghan curriculum. Poverty prevails in camps making education a low priority. The Government of Balochistan has had an indifferent approach to refugee children and they neither formally nor informally consider them a marginalized group.
Any step towards inclusion of refugee children in the mainstream education sector of
the province would require recognition of these children as a responsibility of the provincial education department. Secondly, these children would need to be considered marginalized for any ‘inclusive education’ policy in the province. The latter would require a proactive approach from the provincial government of ‘targeting’ refugee children. In recent provincial plans Afghan Refugee Children have not been recognized as responsibility of the provincial education department. These ARCs are not included in ‘Balochistan Action Plan’ 2011 and the provincial EFA Plan.
[68]
With the inclusion of Article 25A in the Constitution of Pakistan the ‘state’ is responsible for provision of education to all children between ages 5 to 16 as a fundamental right. Refugee children cannot be excluded from this right. Irrespective of the constitution under the UN Convention on Status and Rights of Education 1951 the host country is obliged to provide elementary education to refugee children.
4. Review of Literature
The following literature was reviewed: • National Education Policy 2009 • EFA Plan for district Pishin and Quetta 2011‐15 Provincial EFA Plan 2011‐15 • Provincial Plan of Action July 2011 • ECE provincial Plan 2011‐15 • District Pishin ECE Plan 2011‐15 • Child Rights Convention 19UN Convention on Status and Rights of Refugees 1951 • Constitution of Pakistan ‐ Article 25A (introduced through 18th amendment) • Situation Analysis on education sector planning by PPIU and UNESCO 2011 • Stakeholders’ Conference on Afghan Situation (Zero Draft) 26th September 2011 • Mainstreaming in Education (an Internet Article) • MICS Report 2010 • Population Census Report 1998 (Pakistan) • Zero Draft of Situation Analysis Report: Balochistan Education Sector Plan (SITAN) Unicef 2012
(unpublished) • Education Strategy 2012‐16 by UNHCR • Poverty Reduction Strategy paper (PRSP) • National Plan of Action EFA 2001‐15 • Strategy Paper on Refugees 2012‐16 by UNHCR • Citizenship act 1951 (Pakistan)
5. EFA Plan District Pishin
5.1. District EFA Plan 201115
The Education Department GoB have developed the district EFA Plan 2011‐15. The plan focused the local population of the district as per census 1998 report and projections accordingly. Neither the district plan emphasizes the refugee population in the district nor the enrolment data provide any information about the refugee children enrolled in the public schools. Further the number of schools, as per BEMIS data do not encompass the refugee schools functioning in the district.
5.2. District EFA Plan in the Light of MEARC
The MEARC activity has revealed the importance of ARC education and suggests adding the refugee children data in the existing EFA Plan to enrich planning processes at the district level. The district EFA Plan, Pishin needs to be scrutinized in the light of recommendations derived from the district stakeholders. The proposed recommendations are added in the existing plan to reflect the ARCs and their needs of education for future. At the district level it can be proposed to manage the afghan refugee children but to mainstream, the policy directions are required from federal level which may be adopted by provinces. The following points have been highlighted to discuss and formulate the policy: • Education is a fundamental human right for all children as per CRC and Article 25‐A also emphasis
the same. • Education is special need for children affected by conflict or any kind of disaster
[69]
• Education provides learning opportunities for all without any discrimination. • It encompasses early childhood development and primary education.
It is important to note that the MEARC study has not developed a standalone District Plan (Pishin) for afghan refugee children but have added the refugee children data under ECE and primary education tables. The refugee figures have been budgeted with the same formula and trends already presented in the district EFA Plan Pishin 2011‐15. It is emphasized that the District EFA Plan 2011‐15 will remain the same only the refugee children’s data have been added under the ECE and Primary education components. In the text wherever the data or some information been added is maintained in the document and the paragraphs and tables where no addition have been made were deleted according to the need.
6. District Overview
6.1. Introduction
Pishin had a total population of over 367,000 according to the Census 1998. Based on NIPS projections, the population in 2010 has increased to 543,430. By 2015, it is expected to rise to over 645,000. The difference between male & female population is quite pronounced as there are only 87 females for every 100 males in 2010. The overall literacy rate is 52.3% with marked difference in male & female literacy rates that are 70.6% & 22.7% respectively. Male literacy rate is more than three times that of female literacy rate.
Table 6.1: Total District Population (Excluding Refugees)
Year Male Female Total
1998 196,330 170,853 367,183
2010 290,568 252,862 543,430
2011 300,738 261,713 562,451
2012 311,264 270,873 582,137
2013 322,158 280,353 602,511
2014 333,434 290,165 623,599
[70]
2015 345,104 300,321 645,425
NIPS Population Projection
Along with the local population of district pishin there are two refugee camps existing in Saranan and Surkhan areas, whereas there is a small number of refugees also living outside the camps. The latest refugee population census was not available therefore the population figures have been driven from camp‐wise refugee population (UNHCR‐2009).
Table: 6.2. Campwise Refugee Population District Pishin UNHCR2009
Camp Population
Male Female Total
Saranan 25603 23936 49539
Surkhab 17852 17768 35620
Total 43455 41704 85159
The overall population of the district with the incorporation of refugees as per above table may be as under:
Table: 6.3. District Pishin Population (Local and Refugee) UNHCR 2009
Population Status
Population
Male Female Total
Local Population as per population projections 2012
311,264 270,873 582,137
[71]
Refugee Population UNHCR 2009
43,455 41,704 85,159
Total 354,719 312,577 667,296
The gender‐wise age group population in 2010 of two sub‐sectors i.e. ECE and Primary is given below:
Table 6.4: Population 2010 by Subsector
Subsector Male
Female Total %Age
ECE 15,342 13,351 28,693 5.3%
Primary 36,902 30,849 67,751 12.7%
Table 6.4.a: Refuge Population 2009 by Subsector
Subsector Male
Female Total %Age
ECE 2,303 2,210 4,513 5.3%
Primary 5,519 5,296 10,815 12.7%
These statistics show that if this population is included in the district population the situation will be changed & all the planning need to be reviewed & planning may be made to meet the EFE & MDG objectives for education in the province.
7. Early Childhood Education
7.1. Introduction
[72]
The importance of ECE is well‐recognized world‐wide. It is now widely acknowledged that the effects of developments which occur during the pre‐natal period & during the earliest months & years of a child’s life can last a lifetime as the kind of early care a child receives from parents, pre‐school teachers & caregivers determines how a child learns & relates in school in particular, & life in general. It is during early care that a child develops all the key elements of emotional intelligence, namely confidence, curiosity, purposefulness, self‐control, connectedness, capacity to communicate & cooperativeness.
With quality early childhood education, educational efficiency would improve, as children would acquire the basic concepts, skills & attitudes required for successful learning & development prior to or shortly after entering the system, thus reducing their chances of failure. The system would also be freed of under‐age & under‐prepared learners, who have proven to be the most at risk in terms of school failure & dropout.
In Pakistan, the term Katchi is used for pre‐primary schooling (children aged 4‐5 years) in government schools, offered in regional or national language, Urdu but includes teaching of English alphabets & numbers.
In response to the Dakar Forum commitments, Pakistan developed a comprehensive National Plan of Action (NPA) on Education for All, formulated in 2003 as a long‐term framework (2001‐15), to be implemented in three five‐year phases, with early childhood education as one of its three areas of focus.
7.2. Situation Analysis
A) In Balochistan, there exist two forms of pre‐primary education, public sector pre‐primary education & private sector pre‐primary education. Supporting the class disparity, the pre‐primary education in government schools is further bifurcated in two categories, “katchi” & “improved katchi” (which corresponds to ECE). The traditional “katchi” lacks in some of the basic facilities (no separate classroom, no trained teacher, inadequate teaching & learning materials) in comparison to “improved katchi” which fulfills most of those basic requirements. The latter being referred to Early Childhood Education centers, along with the traditional “katchi” provide their services in public schools in both urban & rural areas for children.
Currently 1,731 children are covered under ECE in government schools in the district. The ECE programmes are being managed by the Society for Community Support for Primary Education Balochistan (SCSPEB, or Society) & UNICEF.
Table 7.1: No. of ECE Centers & Enrolment
Organization No. of
Boys Girls Total
[73]
Centers
Society/UNICEF 45 810 921 1,731
Implementing organizations
B) Traditionally the national schools system have neither encouraged nor discouraged Afghan children who they have remained marginal to the sector. The main exclusion factors have been the inability of non‐Pakistani nationals to appear for public examinations conducted by the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE), relatively low dem& for education in the refugee community, movement of children during harvest seasons & the dem& to be taught in the native languages & the Afghan curriculum. Poverty prevails among Afghans relegating education to a low priority. The Government of Balochistan has had an indifferent approach to refugee children & they neither formally nor informally considered them a marginalized group. Even in Afghanistan the certificate holders from Pakistani institutions were never considered for further studies or for services in government institutions. This situation has created many social & human problems.
While reviewing the data it is found that so far there is no ECE in refugee camp schools, therefore the ECE component remain absent from the refugee education so far. In order to avert this situation there is a need that both governments may devise a policy or enter in to agreement directly that the certificates & degrees issued in one country will be recognized by the other. It will help enhance the interest & demand of education among the Afghans Refugees (ARs). Any step towards inclusion of refugee children in the mainstream education sector of the province requires recognition of these children as a responsibility of the provincial education department just because of 18th amendment otherwise principally they are not its liability. Secondly, these children needed to be considered marginalized for any ‘inclusive education’ policy in the province. The latter required a proactive approach from the provincial government of ‘targeting’ refugee children. In recent provincial plans Afghan Refugee Children have not been recognized as responsibility of the provincial education department.
Currently the refugee education is being managed in the district under the funding UNHCR through implementaing partiner Save the children. Save the children have schools in two camps. If the children studying in the camps brought in the mainstream education then we need to re‐plan for them by enrolling in mainstream schools.
7.3. Objectives
ECE age group for the purpose of District EFA Planning has been taken as 3 to up to 5 years. The Policy recommends one year pre‐primary education and universal access in ten years implying that by 2015 (the District EFA Plan horizon), ECE access must be provided to 50% children while maintaining gender equity. Major objectives of ECE are:
• Wider participation i.e. coverage to 50% children while maintaining gender equity by 2015 • Better quality through specialized teacher training & learning/ support material
[74]
• Transition of ECE children to primary • Inclusion of Afghan Refugee Children in the education plan for providing Access to ECE. 7.4. Targets & Budget
Table 7.2: Population ECE (Local)
Year Boys Girls Total
1998 10,366 9,021 19,387
2010 15,342 13,351 28,693
2011 15,879 13,818 29,697
2012 16,435 14,302 30,737
2013 17,010 14,803 31,813
2014 17,605 15,321 32,926
2015 18,221 15,857 34,078
NIPS Population Projection
Population ECE Table
Table 7.3: Population ECE (Local)
Year
Boys Girls
Total
Camp wise Refugees population UNHCR‐2009 2,303 2,210 4,513
Based on the population of boys in the 3 to up to 5 years age group & the ECE coverage target of 50% by 2015, the following table estimates the number of ECE Centers required between 2011 & 2015. The estimation is based on the assumption that each ECE center will enroll 30 boys.
[75]
Table 7.4: ECE Centers Required for Boys
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys' Population 15,879 16,435 17,010 17,605 18,221
New ECE Centers Required 61 61 61 61 61
Total ECE Centers 61 122 183 244 305
Total Boys Enrolment 1,830 3,660 5,490 7,320 9,150
% Target Achieved 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Table 7.4.a.: ECE Centers Required for Refugee Boys
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys Population ‐ 2303 1703 1103 503
New ECE Centers Required ‐ 20 20 20 16
Total ECE Centers ‐ 20 40 60 76
Total Boys Enrolment ‐ 600 1200 1800 2303
% Target Achieved ‐ 26% 52% 78% 100%
The Annual Budget for each Boys’ ECE Center is worked out on the following basis:
• Learning Material Rs. 24,000 • Improving Physical Environment Rs. 12,000 • Teacher Salary Rs. 120,000 • Teacher Training Rs. 12,000
[76]
• Teacher Assistant Salary Rs. 84,000
Total Rs. 252,000
Table 7.5: Budget ECE Boys’ Centers
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
New Centers 61 61 61 61 61
Cumulative Centers 61 122 183 244 305
BUDGET
Classroom Construction 36.6 36.6 36.6 36.6 36.6
Learning Material 1.464 2.928 4.392 5.856 7.320
Center Environment 0.732 1.464 2.196 2.928 3.660
Teacher Salary 7.320 14.640 21.960 29.280 36.600
Teacher Asst Salary 5.124 10.248 15.372 20.496 25.620
Teacher Training 0.732 0.732 0.732 0.732 0.732
Total Budget (Rs. in millions) 51.972 66.612 81.252 95.892 110.532
Table 7.5.a: Budget ECE Refugee Boys’ Centers
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
New Centers ‐ 20 20 20 16
Cumulative Centers ‐ 40 40 60 76
[77]
BUDGET
Classroom Construction ‐ 12 12 12 10
Learning Material ‐ .48 .96 1.44 1.92
Center Environment ‐ .24 .48 .72 .96
Teacher Salary ‐ 2.40 5.04 7.94 10.66
Teacher Asst Salary ‐ 1.68 3.53 5.56 7.46
Teacher Training ‐ .24 .24 .24 .19
Total Budget (Rs. in millions) 17.0 22.2 27.9 30.8
The total amount required for providing ECE coverage to boys in the district comes out to Rs. 406.260 million during 2011‐2015. While after including the refugee boys an additional amount of 98 million: Rs.46 million for construction of classrooms and Rs.52 million for learning material and teachers salary and teachers training. The construction cost may be minimized if the refugee children of ECE age group be enrolled in the existing schools. However in some cases the provision of additional room due to over crowdedness may be required. Therefore, the cost of construction have also been calculated and presented accordingly.
Table 7.6: ECE Centers Required for Refugee Girls
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Girls' Population ‐ 2210 1610 1010 410
New ECE Centers Required ‐ 20 20 20 14
Total ECE Centers ‐ 20 40 60 74
Total Girls' Enrolment ‐ 600 1200 1800 2220
% Target Achieved ‐ 27% 54% 81% 100%
[78]
The assumptions for estimating the ECE Girls Centers Budget are the same as for the Boys’ Centers. The total estimated budget for Girls’ ECE Centers comes out to be Rs. 314.832 million. While after including the refugee girls an additional amount of 96.4 million: Rs.44.4 million for construction of classrooms and Rs.52 million for learning material and teachers salary and teachers training. The construction cost may be minimized if the refugee children of ECE age group be enrolled in the existing schools. However in some cases the provision of additional room due to over crowdedness may be required. Therefore, the cost of construction have also been calculated and presented accordingly.
Table 7.6.: Budget ECE Girls’ Centers
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
New Centers 48 47 47 47 47
Cumulative Centers 48 95 142 189 236
BUDGET
Classroom Construction 28.800 28.200 28.2 28.2 28.2
Learning Material 1.152 2.280 3.408 4.536 5.664
Center Environment 0.576 1.140 1.704 2.268 2.832
Teacher Salary 5.760 11.400 17.040 22.680 28.320
Teacher Asst Salary 4.032 7.980 11.928 15.876 19.824
Teacher Training 0.576 0.564 0.564 0.564 0.564
Total Budget (Rs. in millions) 40.896 51.564 62.844 74.124 85.404
Table 7.6.a: Budget ECE Refugee Girls’ Centers
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
[79]
New Centers ‐ 20 20 20 14
Cumulative Centers 20 40 60 74
BUDGET
Classroom Construction ‐ 12 12 12 8
Learning Material ‐ .48 .96 1.44 1.92
Center Environment ‐ .24 .48 .72 .96
Teacher Salary ‐ 2.40 5.04 7.94 10.42
Teacher Asst Salary ‐ 1.68 3.53 5.56 7.29
Teacher Training ‐ .24 .24 .24 .17
Total Budget (Rs. in millions) 17.0 22.2 27.9 29.2
ECE Refugee
Children in Mainstream 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys ‐ 17.0 22.2 27.9 30.8
Girls ‐ 17.0 22.2 27.9 29.2
Total Budget (Rs. in millions) 34.0 44.4 55.8 60.0
7.5. Early Childhood Education
[80]
Early childhood education is a compulsory component of EFA & MDG objectives The Ministry of Education under ESR has promoted ECE as an innovative program in the provinces. Under this initiative 450 ECE classes were set up with a view that these may be mainstreamed by the respective provinces once their efficacy was established. Support for ECE has been mobilized from donors such as US AID, UNICEF, & the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
As stated above that the ECE component remains absent from the refugee camps school therefore it is a dire need to introduce the same in refugee camps school and ECE opportunity to the refugee children once they get in mainstream of education.
8. Primary Education
8.1. Introduction
Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty & inequality & for laying the basis for sustained economic growth. Education also impacts other development objectives: empowerment, better health, & good governance. Completion of primary education is a major milestone in this regard. Continued under‐enrolment of children leads first to increase in child labour, & later on to unemployment or underemployment. It also increases social inequities.
The post‐Dakar challenge is to develop more effective strategies & policies at the national level, to provide the financial resources necessary to ensure that such policies succeed. Universal primary education is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals & some improvements have been achieved in the past decade, yet a great deal remains to be done. It is important that education be made relevant & viable so that its dem& increases. Currently some parents, who are disillusioned with education, prefer their children to work rather than go to school.
At the same time capacity to deliver quality education needs to be improved. Stronger capacities in educational planning, management & monitoring invariably serve to improve the system as a whole.
According to Pakistan Social & Living St&ards Measurement (PSLM) Survey 2008‐09, the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for primary schools (Age 5‐9) during 2008‐09 remained stagnant at 91 percent at national level. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) at national level increased from 56 percent in 2006‐07 to 57 percent in 2008‐09. It however remained substantially lower than the Gross Enrolment Rate because of the enrolment of overage children in primary schools.
8.2. Situation Analysis
Some of the major issues of primary school system in the district are:
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• Many schools in rural areas are closed mainly because of teacher absenteeism which results in low enrolment & high dropout rate. The Education Department finds it difficult to enforce discipline because of external influence.
• In some instances, recruitment policy & procedures have not been fully followed resulting in hiring of teachers who are neither motivated nor capable enough to do justice to do their job.
• Schools have a non‐friendly environment due to lack of basic facilities. • The teaching methodologies are teacher‐centered rather than being student‐centered resulting mostly in
rote‐learning & hence disinterest of children. • There is no system of regular assessment of students. Therefore, the students do not have any learning
but are promoted every year which creates a peculiar mindset that only the degrees are important with or without any real learning & knowledge.
• There is a huge gender disparity. • There are many single teacher schools at the risk of becoming dysfunctional. • Majority of the teaching staff has not undergone any kind of in‐service training. • Inclusion of ARCs chapter is missing from the plan that needs to be addressed. • Refugee children are being provided education in refugee camps schools. • The mainstreaming of ARC policy is missing once the policy is in place the ARCs may be incorporated in
the mainstream of education.
8.3. Information on District Primary Education System
EFA Focal Persons from all the districts & NCHD District Programme Managers were provided training to collect data on primary school system in their respective districts. EFA Focal Persons & NCHD worked in collaboration to collect the required information (as of the benchmark year 2010) from the respective District Education Departments. The information was compiled to develop the District EFA Plan. A DEMIS is needed to collect the data of ARCs studying in various public schools. This data will provide the baseline information for ARCs.
Government Primary Schools & Primary Sections
Girls’ schools are 27% of the total schools
indicating that their access to prim
Table 8.1: Primary Level Government Schools by Location by Gender (2010)
Primary Schools
Male Institutions Female Institutions
G.Total Urban Rural Total Urban Rural Total
Primary 20 549 569 7 182 189 758
Primary Sections‐Middle/High Schools 6 79 85 2 54 56 141
Total 26 628 654 9 236 245 899
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ary education is very limited. Sustained awareness campaigns & quality education facilities should be able to attract both the students & parents.
Schools become dysfunctional either because teachers leave for various reasons or because of their chronic absenteeism as children & parents become disillusioned from schools. Another reason is the harsh attitude of some teachers which drives the children away from schools. All single teacher schools are perpetually at risk of becoming dysfunctional. Reviving a dysfunctional school is far less expensive than building new schools since it only takes posting of teachers. Rationalization of teachers & addressing teacher shortage are additional steps to be considered to keep the schools running.
Twenty‐seven schools are non‐functional in the district for various reasons, & reactivating these schools shall contribute to improvement in access to primary education.
While considering the ARC children MEARC study reveals that there are 15 refugee camp schools, run by Save the Children, are situated in the district where the enrollment is 9125. This information have not been incorporated in the above tables which is the evidence that the refugee children education remain absent from the district as well as the provincial plan. Therefore while reviewing the plan the refugee children data living in the district have been incorporated along with the local population data and budgeted accordingly.
8.4. District Targets Primary Education
The primary age group has been taken as 6‐10 years for the purpose of the EFA Plan.
Table 8.2: Population Primary Education
Year Boys Girls Total
1998 24,934
20,844
45,778
2010 36,902
30,849
67,751
2011 38,194
31,929
70,123
2012 39,531
33,046
72,577
2013 40,914
34,203
75,117
2014 42,346
35,400
77,746
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2015 43,828
36,639
80,467
NIPS Population Projection
The following table shows the boys’ primary enrolment in both government & other institutions. Based on the enrolment in 2010, & the calculations below, it is estimated that an additional 95 primary schools would be required during 2011‐15 to achieve the target of 100% enrolment. This calculation is based on an average capacity of 60 children per primary school.
Table 8.3: Primary Education Boys 100% Access
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys Population 38,194 39,531 40,914 42,346 43,828
Primary Schools Required 19 19 19 19 19
Final Enrolment 37,253 39,007 40,760 42,075 43,828
%age Enrolment Achieved 85% 89% 93% 96% 100%
On the same basis, the number of additional primary schools required for girls comes out to be 203 during 2011‐15.
Table 8.3.a: Primary Education – Refugee Boys 100% Access
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys Population ‐ 5519 4140 2760 1480
Additional Rooms Required in Schools ‐ 35 35 35 35
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Final Enrolment ‐ 1380 2760 4140 5519
%age Enrolment Achieved ‐ 25% 50% 75% 100%
Table 8.4: Primary Education Girls 100% Access
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Girls Population 31,929 33,046 34,203 35,400 36,639
Primary Schools Required 41 41 41 40 40
Final Enrolment 26,925 29,385 31,845 34,245 36,639
%age Enrolment Achieved 73% 80% 87% 93% 100%
Table 8.4.a: Primary Education – Refugee Girls 100% Access
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Girls Population ‐ 5280 3960 2640 1320
Additional Rooms Required in Schools ‐ 33 33 33 33
Final Enrolment ‐ 1320 2640 3960 5280
%age Enrolment Achieved ‐ 25% 50% 75% 100%
8.5. Budget
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The additional primary schools’ requirement is to be met in two ways: 1) activating schools that are currently non‐functional, &, 2) establishing new primary schools. Nineteen boys’ & 8 girls’ schools are to be made functional during 2011‐15. Three teachers are budgeted for activating each non‐functional school.
This Budget needs to be amended in the context of ARCs enrolled in various schools in the district. In the schools where a large number if ARCs are enrolled need either additional teachers and classroom or starting of second shift classes .
The budget for establishing new schools, the criteria for allocation of a minimum number of teachers per school, & teacher salary was provided by the Provincial Education Department‐Balochistan as follows:
Budget per New Room Construction = Rs. 2.126 million
Student : Teacher Ratio = 40:1
Teacher Salary per annum = Rs. 0.120 million
The following table computes the budget based on the information provided by the Provincial Education Department. The number of new primary schools budgeted is based on the requirements for new primary schools ascertained above minus the number of non‐functional schools activated. Priority has been given to activating non‐functional schools before budgeting for establishing new primary schools.
Table 8.5: Budget Establish New Primary Schools
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys' Schools
Primary Schools Required 19 19 19 19 19
Activate NF Schools 4 4 4 4 3
Establish New Primary Schools 15 15 15 15 16
Budget
Establish New Primary Schools 31.890 31.890 31.890 31.890 34.016
New Schools‐Teachers Salary 5.400 10.800 16.200 21.600 27.360
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Total (Rs. in millions) 37.290 42.690 48.090 53.490 61.376
Girls' Schools
Primary Schools Required 41 41 41 40 40
Activate NF Schools 2 2 2 1 1
Establish New Primary Schools 39 39 39 39 39
Budget
Establish New Primary Schools 82.914 82.914 82.914 82.914 82.914
New Schools‐Teachers Salary 14.040 28.080 42.120 56.160 70.200
Total (Rs. in millions) 96.954 110.994 125.034 139.074 153.114
Table 8.6: Budget Construction of Additional Rooms in Schools Due to Enrolment of Refugee Children
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Boys' Schools
Additional Rooms Required in Schools ‐ 35 35 35 35
Construction of New Rooms in Schools ‐ 35 35 35 35
Budget
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Construction of Additional Rooms ‐ 23 23 23 23
New Teachers Salary ‐ 4 8 13 17
New Teachers Training 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42
Learning Material 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07
Total (Rs. in millions) 27.41 31.62 35.83 40.04
Girls' Schools
Primary Schools Required ‐ 33 33 33 33
Establish New Primary Schools ‐ 33 33 33 33
Budget
Construction of Additional Rooms ‐ 21 21 21 21
New Teachers Salary ‐ 4 8 12 16
New Teachers Training 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40
Learning Material 0.03 0.05 0.06 0.06
Total (Rs. in millions) 26 30 34 38
Grand Total Boys + Girls (Refugee) Rs. In
Million 53.41 61.62 69.83 78.4
Table 8.7: Requirement of Teachers for Primary Schools due to refugee children
Description Male Fema Total
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le
Additional teachers require to be appointed to manage the enrollment of refugee children in the mainstream.
140 132 272
All primary schools are to be provided annual budget for procurement of supplementary reading material for children.
Table 8.8: BudgetSupplementary Reading Material in Existing Primary Schools per Refugee Child @ 1000 per child
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
No. of refugee enrolment
Boys ‐ 1400 2800 4200 5519
Girls ‐ 1320 2640 3960 5280
Total 2720 5440 8160 10799
Budget
Boys ‐ 1.4 2.8 4.2 5.5
Girls ‐ 1.3 2.6 4.0 5.3
Total Budget (Rs. in millions)
2.7 5.4 8.2 10.8
The teachers need to be linked with qualitative & relevant in‐service training. Also the head teachers need to be trained in school management & leadership to inspire the teachers & students & instill confidence in the parents & community members. It is recommended that all teachers be provided content/ pedagogy trainings through one or more training programmes for a total of 40‐days & all head teachers be provided training for at least 10 days. It is assumed that the training would be cluster‐based & that each batch would comprise 40 teacher‐trainees. The teacher training budget provided by Bureau of Curriculum (BoC) & Provincial Institute for Teacher Education (PITE) is as follows:
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Teacher Training (40 days) Rs. 0.120 million per teacher
Table 8.9 : Budget Primary Teachers Training to meet the need against the mainstreaming of refugee children
Description 2012 2013 2014 2015
Teachers to be trained
Male Primary Teachers 35 35 35 35
Female Primary Teachers 33 33 33 33
Budget
Male Primary Teachers 4.200 4.200 4.200 4.200
Female Primary Teachers 3.960 3.960 3.960 3.960
Total Budget (Rs. in millions) 8.160 8.160 8.160 8.160
9. Budget
The year‐wise & total budget for the three sub‐sectors during 2011‐15 is summarized in this section. ECE & primary Schools Budget is to be allocated to the Education Department whereas the Literacy Budget is to be allocated to the Directorate of Literacy & NFBE (Social Welfare Department). UNHCR may provide support to the schools where ARCs are enrolled in the government schools to reduce the financial burden of education department.
Table 9.1: ECE 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Boys 51.972 66.612 81.252 95.892 110.532 406.260
Girls 40.896 51.564 62.844 74.124 85.404 314.832
Total (Rs. in millions) 92.868 118.176 144.096 170.016 195.936 721.092
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Table 9.2: PRIMARY 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
BOYS
Activate NF Schools 1.440 2.880 4.320 5.760 6.840 21.240
Establish New Schools 37.290 42.690 48.090 53.490 61.376 242.936
Provide Missing Facilities 72.788 70.662 70.502 70.152 70.152 354.256
Provide Additional Teachers ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Teachers/HT Training 6.748 6.736 6.736 ‐ ‐ 20.220
Libraries in Existing Primary Schools 1.140 1.140 1.140 1.140 1.130 5.690
Upgrade Primary Schools to Middle 235.500 333.500 422.080 516.160 610.240 2,117.480
SubTotal (Rs. in millions) 354.906 457.608 552.868 646.702 749.738 2,761.822
GIRLS
Activate NF Schools 0.720 1.440 2.160 2.520 2.880 9.720
Establish New Schools 96.954 110.994 125.034 139.074 153.114 625.170
Provide Missing Facilities 19.232 19.132 18.552 16.366 16.366 89.648
Provide Additional Teachers ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Teachers/HT Training 4.424 4.424 4.416 ‐ ‐ 13.264
Libraries in Existing Primary Schools 0.380 0.380 0.380 0.380 0.370 1.890
Upgrade Primary Schools to Middle 188.400 257.380 331.860 406.340 480.820 1,664.800
SubTotal (Rs. in millions) 310.110 393.750 482.402 564.680 653.550 2,404.492
Total (Rs. in millions) 665.016 851.358 1,035.270 1,211.382 1,403.288 5,166.314
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Table 9.3: LITERACY 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Male 16.435 16.435 16.435 16.435 16.435 82.175
Female 58.734 58.734 58.734 58.734 58.734 293.670
Total (Rs. in millions) 75.169 75.169 75.169 75.169 75.169 375.845
It is recommended that both the Education Department & the Directorate of Literacy & NFBE should be provided capacity building & institutional support funds commensurate with their annual budgets. Both need to enhance the capacity in information management, planning, monitoring, & reporting. The sustenance & quality of direct interventions will be ensured only through building the capacity of the department/ directorate on an on‐going basis. The capacity building budget has been computed on the basis of 1% of the annual budget for ECE/Primary Education & Literacy in the public sector.
Table 9.4: INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
District Education Department 7.579 9.695 11.794 13.814 15.992 58.874
Directorate of Literacy & NFBE 0.752 0.752 0.752 0.752 0.752 3.760
Total (Rs. in millions) 8.331 10.447 12.546 14.566 16.744 62.634
A total of Rs. 6.326 billion rupees are required during 2011‐15 for the district to meet the EFA targets in ECE, Primary Education & Adult Literacy.
Table 9.5: TOTAL BUDGET (Local) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
ECE 92.868 118.176 144.096 170.016 195.936 721.092
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PRIMARY 665.016 851.358 1,035.270 1,211.382 1,403.288 5,166.314
ADULT LITERACY 75.169 75.169 75.169 75.169 75.169 375.845
INSTITUTIONAL CB 8.331 10.447 12.546 14.566 16.744 62.634
GR& TOTAL (Rs. in millions) 841.384 1,055.150 1,267.081 1,471.133 1,691.137 6,325.885
Table 9.5.a: TOTAL BUDGET (Refugee Children Mainstreaming) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
ECE ‐ 34 44.4 55.8 60 194.2
PRIMARY:
Teacher + Room 53.41 61.62 69.83 78.4 263.26
Learning Material 2.7 5.4 8.2 10.8 27.1
Teachers Training 8.16 8.16 8.16 8.16 32.64
GR & TOTAL (Rs. in millions) 98.27 119.58 141.99 157.36 517.2
The private sector is expected to establish 20% of ECE centers, primary & middle schools. The public sector budget comes out to be Rs. 5.252 billion.
In addition to the above para where it is assumed that 20% of the actual district cost will be managed by the private sector. The same assumption may apply in case of mainstreaming of refugee children therefore the public sector budget for refugee children come out to be Rs.413.76 million.
Table 9.6: Final BudgetPublic Sector as per District EFA Plan for Local Children
Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
ECE 74.294 94.541 115.277 136.013 156.749 576.874
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Primary 553.387 702.445 849.857 988.369 1142.178 4,236.236
Literacy 75.169 75.169 75.169 75.169 75.169 375.845
Institutional Capacity Building 8.331 10.447 12.546 14.566 16.744 62.634
Total (Rs in millions) 711.181 882.602 1,052.849 1,214.117 1,390.840 5,251.589
Table 9.6.a: TOTAL BUDGET (Refugee Children Mainstreaming) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
ECE ‐ 27.20 35.52 44.64 48.00 155.36
PRIMAR
Teacher + Room 42.80 49.30 55.86 62.72 210.64
Learning Material 2.16 4.32 6.56 8.64 21.64
Teachers Training 6.53 6.53 6.53 6.53 26.12
GR & TOTAL (Rs. in millions) 78.69 95.67 113.59 125.89 413.76
The public sector budget has been divided into development & recurring heads in the following table:
Table 9.7: Public Sector Development & Recurring Budget
Description Development Recurring Total
ECE 311.674 265.200 576.874
Primary 1,905.085 2,331.151 4,236.236
Literacy 297.633 78.212 375.845
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Inst Capacity 62.634 ‐ 62.634
Total (Rs in millions) 2,577.026 2,674.563 5,251.589
Table 9.7.a: Public Sector Development & Recurring Budget for Mainstreaming of Refugee Children Education
Description Development Recurring Total
ECE 84.86 70.50 155.36
Primary 192.8 65.60 258.40
Total (Rs in millions) 277.66 136.10 413.76
The total budget requirements of the Distirct Pishin after mainstreaming the Afghan Refugee children will be as under:
Table 9.8: Public Sector Development & Recurring Budget for Local and Mainstreaming of Refugee Children Education
Description Development Recurring Total
District budget as per local children table 9.7 2,577.026 2,674.563 5,251.589
Refugee Children budget as per table 9.7.a 277.66 136.10 413.76
Total (Rs in millions) 2,854.686 2,810.663 5,665.349
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ANNEX D
District Seminars Report
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The district seminars in district Pishin and Quetta were held between February and March 2012. More than 30 stakeholders from each district from education department, UNHCR, CAR cell, Save the Children, government school teachers and teachers from AR schools have taken part in the advocacy seminars and shared their views and inputs in this regard All the participants in groups discussed the GAPS, CHALLENGES, and OPPORTUNITIES in detail.
PROCEEDINGS
The seminars were started with the recitation of Holy Quraan.
After introduction Mr. Irfan Ahmad Awan has been the main speaker to introduce the problem of Mainstreaming of the Afghan Refugee Children. He told the forum that with the amendment of constitution clause 18, Article 25 (A), the responsibilities of province regarding access and quality education has become a great challenge. The education of Afghan Refugee Children also became the part of 25 A as responsibility that states that all children age 5‐16 education would be responsibility of the state.
Previously a letter jointly signed between UNHCR and UNESCO for enhancing collaborations in Afghan Refugee education which will encompass school education particularly pre‐primary (ECE) and elementary education, literacy and non‐formal education and overall education policy related to ARCs. These kinds of forums are called to explore the mainstreaming or management problems of them. It is a very serious topic because after repatriation of the ARs to their country, there must be a skill of in their hand either literary or vocational, so that they may not go back empty handed and illiterate. But all this need resources to meet the target. At present wherever the ARCs are enrolled, they are using our resources and creating problems in the schools in the shape of using extra text books, RR material, furniture and fixture along with time of teachers and so on and so forth hat has not been planned by the government. There is no any policy in EFA Plan of Pishin district. As SCSPEB is involved in Education Sector Plan and it needs a policy framework for ARCs also which is now the responsibility of Balochistan Education Department. In this regard we have invited this forum to find out the GAPS, CHALLENGES and OPPORTUNITIES for either management or mainstreaming of education of ARCs, whatever it would be decided later on.
Mr. Sultan Naeem Qaisrani made a detailed presentation regarding the seminar topic highlighting its objectives and situation analysis along with the discussion paper and limitations and challenges
The DDEOs represented the education departments in Pishin and Quetta. They, in their address said that Refugees are our brothers and their education is not only our Islamic and brotherhood liability but legal liability also according to Amendment 18th Article 25 (A). They told that in both districts there is no discrimination against refugee children for enrollment in schools. However they do not have extra resources to meet all the curricular needs.
The participants were split in groups by Mr. Aamir Khan of SCSPEB and following three topics were assigned to every group for discussion in each district:
i) GAPS
ii) CHALLENGES and
iii) OPPORTUNITIES in Mainstreaming of ARCs education
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The Consultants Team of SCSPEB facilitated the groups in discussions to keep them on the track. After detailed discussion the group leaders of the participants came with following recommendations and proposed possible solutions:
Inputs of Groups
At the end of seminar Mr. Irfan ahmad Awan Managing Director SCSPEB thanked UNHCR, UNESCO, CAR, Education department Quetta, Save The Children, all the participants, the organizers and BSAs’ staff for their cooperation and completing this challenging job successfully.
The lunch was served to the participants as the last item.
Gaps
1. Lack of a Policy regarding MEARC 2. Lack of Data and population of refugees and their children 3. Lack of teachers and difference in Teachers’ salary 4. Differences in curriculum and Language barriers like medium of education 5. Poverty and socio‐economic conditions of refugees and Mobility of families in search for better
opportunities 6. Religious and cultural preference towards madrassahs instead of school education and traditional
outlook about education especially for girls because of non‐awareness regarding the importance of education
7. Induction and transition of children already studying in refugee schools, into the national educational system
8. Lack academic and professional qualification in Refugees camps schools. 9. Lack of non availability of buildings 10. Job security of camp teachers. 11. Participation of CAR (Consulate for Afghan Refugees) 12. Non‐access of scholarships to the ARCs
Challenges
• Gov,t of Pakistan has not taken the MEARC challenge as its liability. • A logical Policy document for MEARC • Low socio‐economic conditions of refugees • Recognition of refugee school certifications in government schools • Requirement of birth certificates, CNIC and B‐form to admission into government schools for
primary and higher education • Extra load on government schools in the form of capacity, resources and funds
Opportunities
• Education is declared as a fundamental right for every child and is the responsibility of the state according to the 18th amendment clause 25.
• Existing government schools can play a vital role for free and quality education for refugee children • Integration of refugees in the government education system will enable them to improve their
economic status
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• Existing non‐functional PTSMCs, community based organizations and NGOs can be revitalized
Recommendations 1. Education is basic right of every child against article 25(A), so admission in government schools
should be allowed on POR 2. Curriculum should be same of Govt: of Pakistan 3. Reorganization of Certificates of Class‐5,8 and onwards which should be applicable in both
Countries 4. Formal Data collection and development of a mechanism by Education Department to streamline
the system 5. Private schools’ Regulatory Authority may be created 6. Proper monitoring system for street schools and Madrassas may be introduced. 7. Education may be provided in mother tong as it is a basic right of ARCs. 8. There is need to discourage Child labor in order to increase enrollments, moreover specific
Performa for these children may be introduce to acquire exact number of ARCs and it should be linked with the scholarship as an incentive
9. Existing PTSMCs may be strengthened and functionalized 10. Incentives in the form of scholarships and other facilities may be provided to Afghan refugee
children especially for girls. 11. Child friendly school system may be introduced 12. Qaida Nazira of Quran Majeed may be introduced in the national educational system 13. Mobilization of refugee community is needed in order to streamlining their issues so they may
accept the conventional education system of Pakistan.
14 Camps schools may be handed over to the education department of Balochistan 15 Monitoring & supervision may be done by EFOs 16 Strong Coordination is needed between Afghan Consulate and Education department. 17 Before finalization the education policy meeting of both countries educational specialists may be
contacted to formulate a policy 18 Provision of agro‐tech education to ARCs 19 Provision of citizenship according to international rules to ARs.
20 Existing primary school may be utilized as second shift school with the help of additional teacher. 21 Existing BHUs may be functional and plan a visit of the school at least monthly for the health
observation and screening of ARCs 22 Compulsion of the birth registration may be relaxed and made flexible. 23 The ARCs (6‐14 year age) who complete the non formal education must induct in the regular
system with the help of Directorate of literacy and non‐formal education GoB 24 AR literacy centers may be established for the adult (15+ age) 25 All the basic facilities which are provided by the UNHCR or other orgs must be liked with the 100%
primary compulsory education. 26 Technical education should be provided to them and existing schools/colleges may be utilized as a
second shif or some kind of slots / quota may be specified for their further higher education,. 27 Data of schools regarding ARCs should be recorded specifically and submitted to the DEO offices
and then may be entered in streamlined in the BEMIS system 28 ARC schools may be declared and facilitated as child friendly schools
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ANNEX E
Provincial Seminars Report
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Provincial Seminar Report , Balochistan
The Provincial seminar in Quetta was held on March 15, 2012. More than 30 stakeholders from education
department, UNHCR, UNESCO, Education Coordinator in Save the Children, government school teachers
and teachers from AR schools took part in the advocacy seminar and gave their inputs in this regard. All the
participants in four groups discussed the out puts from 2 district seminars and their findings regarding
Gaps, Challenges, Opportunities and Recommendations in detail and made some additional suggestions
in the last.
PROCEEDINGS
The seminar was started with the recitation of Holy Quraan.
After introduction of participants Mr. Aamir Khan briefly introduced the objectives of seminar/workshop
and welcomed the participants He also told them about the previous seminars.
Mr. Mohammad Ali from UNHCR was invited to address the participants to tell them about the workshop.
He told the participants that UNHCR has been providing every possible facility to refugees in the shape of
food, residing facilities, drinking water and education for their children in the camps in Pishin Panjpai,
Loralai and Muslim Bagh right after their arrival. He further added that UNHCR literally and principally
acted upon the right of education as the right of children. On behalf of UNHCR he thanked govt. of Pakistan
to share the burden in this regard. He added that SCSPEB, UNICEF and some other organizations are fully
cooperating with us to provide the educational facilities to ARCs in camps.
Mr. Irfan Ahmad Awan welcomed the participants and thanked them to respond regarding the issue. He
pictured the political scenario of Pakistan and its relations with neighbouring countries; Iran India and
Afghanistan. He told the participants that bearing the burden of AR, was and is a big challenge for the GoP.
And now when the ARs are being sent back to their country, it is necessary to decide about the education of
those children who may not go back to their native county because of the international and local conditions
of Afghanistan. In this case the recognition of those children will become a challenge for them. He said that
this task had to be done since the start but now when the primary education became the subject of
province, it is necessary to formulate a policy to mainstream the education of ARCs. He told the audience
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that SCSPEB is proving the children of ARs in 10 camp schools with the help of UNHCR and thousands of
students have been certificated with primary education according to the curriculum of Afghanistan.
He further added that before this Provincial seminar 2 district seminars have been held in district Pishin
and Quetta and now this seminar / workshop is being organized for the education of excluded, vulnerable
and Afghan Refugee Children (ARCs). The previous seminars have given their findings and now in the light
of those findings and suggestions the strong and practicable recommendations are needed to formulate a
proper policy for the mainstreaming of education of ARCs which should be included in ECE and EFA plan
for refugee oriented districts, Pishin and Quetta.
He further said that whereas an Education Sector Plan is being framed, the education of ARCs are nowhere
addressed either in EFA or ECE plan of district Pishin which is now responsibility of Province after 18th
amendment’s clause 25 (A), that states that the education of all children of age 5‐16 would be the
responsibility of the state. Now we have to respond all these challenges and UNHCR is also in dialogue with
education department and other stakeholders and here we gathered to address and recommend about the
problem. We here invited only the most responsible provincial stakeholders who we hope would be more
helpful to formulate the policy for the education of ARCs.
After the address of Mr, Awan, Mr. Sultan Naeem Qaisrani made a detailed presentation regarding the
seminar topics, highlighting its objectives and situation analysis along with the discussion paper and
limitations and challenges. He told the participants that there are many limitations and flaws in the ECE
and EFA Plans of Quetta and Pishin districts and gave examples in his detailed presentation. The
participants appreciated the presentation and made many questions to clarify the matter. Mr. Sultan
Naeem Qaisrani satisfied the participants with his answers in this connection. (Copy of presentation is
attached)
After the presentation, the participants were split in four groups by Mr. Aamir Khan of SCSPEB and
following three topics were assigned to every group for discussion:
(List of participants is attached as annexure)
iv) Previous Findings about GAPS from 2 district seminars
v) Previous Findings about CHALLENGES from 2 district seminars and
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vi) Previous Findings about OPPORTUNITIES from 2 district seminars regarding Mainstreaming of ARCs education (The tea was served before the group work)
After the tea break the participants discussed the topics in detail. Mr. Sultan Naeem Qaisrani and SCSPEB
team facilitated the groups during their group work. The findings of groups were simultaneously
computerized and after completion of work it was displayed using the multimedia. The findings were
discussed and approved by the seminar participants.
Vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Irfan Ahmad Awan before the end of seminar,
The comprehensive findings and recommendations of the participants of provincial seminar / workshop
in this regard are as under: (Detailed findings of groups are attached)
Gaps
a. The condition of Form‐B of NADRA for admissions in the schools b. Lack of a proper policy for the education and certification of ARCs c. Lack of Proper Planning d. Big Afghan Refugee Population e. Unawareness of parents to get certificate in case of going to another school f. Lack of teachers and difference in Teachers’ salary
g. Differences in curriculum and Language barriers like medium of education
h. Poverty and socio‐economic conditions of refugees and Mobility of families in search for
better opportunities
i. Religious and cultural preference towards madrassahs instead of school education and
traditional outlook about education especially for girls because of non‐awareness regarding
the importance of education
j. Induction and transition of children already studying in refugee schools, into the national
educational system
k. Lack academic and professional qualification in Refugees camps schools. l. Lack of non availability of buildings m. Job security of camp teachers. n. Participation of CAR (Consulate for Afghan Refugees) o. Non‐access of scholarships to the ARCs
Challenges
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• Low socio‐economic conditions of refugees
• Recognition of refugee school certifications in government schools
• Requirement of birth certificates, CNIC and B‐form to admission into government schools for
primary and higher education
• Extra load on government schools in the form of capacity, resources and funds
Opportunities
• Education is declared as a fundamental right for every child and is the responsibility of the state
according to the 18th amendment clause 25.
• Existing government schools can play a vital role for free and quality education for refugee children
• Integration of refugees in the government education system will enable them to improve their
economic status
• Existing non‐functional PTSMCs, community based organizations and NGOs can be
revitalized
Recommendations
It was recommended that the policy framework may contain the following points:
14. Education is basic right of every child according to article 25(A), so admission in government high
schools should be allowed and their admission forms for SSC exam may be accepted by BBISE on
POR basis.
15. Curriculum should be same as of the Govt: of Pakistan/Balochistan 16. Reorganization of Certificates of Class‐5,8 and onwards which should be applicable in both
Countries 17. Formal Data collection and development of a mechanism by Education Department to streamline
the system 18. Private schools’ Regulatory Authority may be created 19. Proper monitoring system for street schools and Madrassas may be introduced. 20. Education may be provided in mother tong as it is a basic right of ARCs. 21. There is need to discourage Child labor in order to increase enrollments, moreover specific
Performa for these children may be introduce to acquire exact number of ARCs and it should be linked with the scholarship as an incentive
22. Existing PTSMCs may be re‐organized, strengthened and functionalized
23. Incentives in the form of scholarships and other facilities may be provided to Afghan refugee
children especially for girls.
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24. Child friendly school system may be introduced
25. Qaida Nazira of Quran Majeed may be introduced in the national educational system
26. Mobilization of refugee community is needed in order to streamlining their issues so they may accept the conventional education system of Pakistan.
27. Camps schools may be handed over to the education department of Balochistan 28. Monitoring & supervision may be done by EFOs 29. Strong Coordination is needed between Afghan Consulate and Education department Balochistan. 30. Before finalization the education policy meeting of both countries educational specialists may be
conducted to formulate a policy 31. Provision of agro‐tech education to ARCs 32. Provision of citizenship according to international rules to ARs.
33. Existing primary school may be utilized as second shift school with the help of additional teachers and 1‐2 additional rooms may be constructed.
34. Existing BHUs may be functional and plan a visit of the school at least monthly for the health observation and screening of ARCs
35. Compulsion of the birth registration may be relaxed and made flexible. 36. The ARCs (6‐14 year age) who complete the non formal education must induct in the regular
system with the help of Directorate of literacy and non‐formal education GoB 37. AR literacy centers may be established for the adult (15+ age) 38. All the basic facilities which are provided by the UNHCR or other orgs must be liked with the 100%
primary compulsory education. 39. Technical education should be provided to them and existing schools/colleges may be utilized as a
second shift or some kind of slots / quota may be specified for their further higher education, 40. Data of schools regarding ARCs should be recorded specifically and submitted to the DEO offices
and then may be entered in streamlined in the BEMIS system 41. ARC schools may be declared and facilitated as child friendly schools 42. The organizations working in AR education should have a strong coordination to avoid overlapping.
At the end of seminar Mr. Irfan ahmad Awan Managing Director SCSPEB thanked UNHCR, UNESCO, CAR,
Education department Quetta, Save The Children, all the participants, the organizers and BSAs’ staff for
their cooperation and completing this challenging job successfully.
The lunch was served to the participants as the last item.
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ANNEX F
Advocacy Materials‐ Exhibits
[107]
[108]
Distric
UNESCO
of UNH
districts
ct‐level wor
Pakistan an
CR Pakistan
s, Baluchist
MEAR
rkshops org
nd SCSPEB w
n in Quetta
tan province
RC Project.
ganized by
with suppo
a and Pishin
e under the
[10
rt
n
e
09]
PICCTURES GGALLERY
[11
10]
Provinc
UNESCO
of UNHC
u
cial‐level wo
Pakistan an
CR Pakistan
under the M
orkshops or
nd SCSPEB w
in Quetta,
MEARC Proj
rganised by
with suppo
Baluchistan
ject.
[11
y
rt
n
11]
Awaren
organized
in Quetta
of UNH
ness Raising
d by UNESC
a and Pishin
HCR Pakista
Pr
g / Advocac
CO Pakistan
n districts w
an under th
roject
cy Seminars
n and SCSPE
with suppor
he MEARC
[11
s
EB
rt
12]
Training
Pakistan
districts
of Teachers
n and SCSPE
s with suppo
under the M
s organized
EB in Quetta
ort of UNHC
MEARC Proj
d by UNESC
a and Pishin
CR Pakistan
ject
[11
CO
n
n
13]
[1114]
[115]
PRESS CLIPPINGS
[116]
