NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN Issues in Resource Development and Capacity Building

by

Dr. Eshya Mujahid-Mukhtar & Prof. Dr. Zafar Iqbal

Country Study prepared for UNESCO (Pakistan) for the APPEAL project titled, “Promoting Systematic Resource Development and Capacity Building in NFE in Asia”

Islamabad, June 2004

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

• Commitment to Education • Non-formal Education and the role of APPEAL • Objectives of the Study

SECTION A: METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY SECTION B: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, POFILE AND KEY

POLICY MEASURES RELATED TO NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN I. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NFE II. STATISTICAL PROFILE OF NON-FORMAL

EDUCATION (i) Non-formal Primary Education (ii) Adult Literacy

III. KEY POLICY MEASURES IN NON-FORMAL EDUCATION (i) Non-formal Primary Education (ii) Adult Literacy (iii) Policy for the 21st Century

o The United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) o Education Sector Reforms (ESR)- 2001-05 o National Plan of Action (NPA)- 2001-15

SECTION C: NON-FORMAL EDUCATION PAKISTAN

THE NFE PROGRAMME IN PAKISTAN (i) Non-Formal Basic Education Schools and Adult

Literacy Centres: Number of Institutions, Students and Teachers

(ii) Budgetary Allocations and Expenditures to/on NFE (iii Teaching Methods, Curriculum and

Learning/Teaching Materials (iv) Teachers’ Qualification, Training and Participation (v) Supervisors’ Qualification, Training and

Participation SECTION D: ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS AND PRIORITY AREAS FOR

ACTION IN NFE SECTION E: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

STRENGTHENING OVERALL NFE MECHANISMS IN PAKISTAN

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BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE OF THE STUDY Commitment to Education Basic education is a fundamental human right. As the key to sustainable development and peace and stability within and among countries, it is an indispensable means for effective participation in the societies and economies of the 21st century. According to the Dakar Framework for Action (Senegal, April 2000), a collective commitment was made to attain several EFA goals, including the following: - Ensuring that by 2015 all children with special emphasis on girls and children in difficult

circumstances have access to and complete free compulsory primary education of good quality; - ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to

appropriate learning and life skills programmes; and - achieving a 50 percent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and

equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults. The Government of Pakistan is constitutionally committed to providing education to all:

The State shall “remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within minimum possible period.”

(Article 37-B, Constitution of Pakistan 1973) In this context, Pakistan is required to meet the challenge of providing free and compulsory basic education to all children and adults, utilizing all the available financial, technical and human resources to extend the necessary education opportunities - through formal as well as non-formal means. In this effort, it can rely on technical and other support mechanisms available under the EFA plans, UNLD and other related initiatives. Non-formal Education and the role of APPEAL APPEAL – Asia-Pacific Programme for Education and Adult Literacy has assisted 21 countries in the region over the last decade in developing various non-formal education resource materials (including financial, technical and human capacity) and promoting Community Learning Centres (CLCs) as the NFE delivery mechanisms. At the last EFA Coordinators Meeting for East and Southeast Asia, held in Bangkok in September 2003, current EFA national plans with particular reference to NFE were discussed. It was concluded that many countries, particularly LDCs, need material, technical resources and capacity building of personnel in the NFE sub-sector in the areas of management, research, training and curriculum development. In view of this situation, the project on “Promoting Systematic Resource Development and Capacity Building in NFE in Asia” was prepared by APPEAL with Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal and Pakistan as the participating countries.

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The overall objective of the project is to develop a comprehensive and concrete NFE master plans and national network to establish systematic NFE mechanisms for material and technical resource development and capacity building. The specific objectives are:

1. To analyze the overall needs and existing material, technical and financial resources in NFE and identify the requirement for more systematically implementing NFE activities and further strengthening NFE components of EFA national plans.

2. To develop a national NFE master plan for resource development to strengthen the national EFA plans and implementation.

3. To assist countries in establishing NFE resource development mechanisms and networks building upon existing resources such as NFE centres.

4. To strengthen the capacity of NFE personnel at national, sub-national and community levels in effectively implementing the master plan.

5. To share the national NFE master plans through EFA and APPEAL mechanisms. In this context, UNESCO, Pakistan commissioned a study titled, “Non-formal Education in Pakistan: Issues in Resource Development and Capacity Building” in April 2004 to assess the present status of non-formal education in Pakistan and contribute inputs for a national workshop on formulating a draft non-formal education (NFE) resource development master plan for Pakistan. Objectives of the Study The basic objective of the Study is to prepare inputs for a national workshop on formulating a draft non-formal education (NFE) resource development master plan for Pakistan. More specifically, the Study will attempt to: - Highlight the organizational structure of the non-formal education in Pakistan; - Review the national policy on NFE including the EFA National Plan of Action and

UNLD; - Analyze the budgetary allocations to NFE and estimate the gap between the financial

requirements of planned activities and available resources; - Assess the NFE programmes/activities and their future requirements with respect to:

- Enrolments; target groups; - Curriculum and textbooks; - Quality of teachers; - Teachers’ training programmes; - Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms; - Networking with other agencies; - Priority areas of NFE which need strengthening;

- Formulate suggestions/recommendations to strengthen the overall NFE mechanisms under the national EFA Action Plans and UNLD.

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The Study is divided into five sections: Section A highlights the methodology of the study; Section B briefly reviews the important policy measures related to non-formal education, adopted in Pakistan over the past three decades and initiatives outlined in early 21st century; Section C describes the profile of non-formal education in Pakistan; Section D presents the achievements, problems and priority areas for action in NFE; and Section E outlines the conclusion and recommendations for strengthening the overall NFE mechanisms in Pakistan.

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SECTION A. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY The Study is based on both primary and secondary information and relies on the following four methodological aspects:

1. Review of Secondary Data Sources/Literature: To understand the profile of non-formal education in Pakistan, discuss relevant government policies and identify key issues, a review of secondary sources was undertaken. These sources included official government policy and statistical publications such as the National Education Policy (1998-2010); Education Sector Reforms (ESR – 2001-05); the National Plan of Action for Education for All (NPA- 2001-15); the Population Census (1998); Guidelines for The Strategic Framework of Action for the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-12) in Pakistan, etc.. In addition, reference was also made to reports compiled by individual researchers.

2. Primary Data Collection: To facilitate the collection of primary information, a set

of two questionnaires were designed. The first questionnaire was administered to the federal and provincial NFE managers and officials of the Ministry of Education and provincial education departments to acquire information on various aspects of NFE activities such as budgetary allocations and expenditures, donor contributions, and networking with NFE-implementing NGOs, etc., in their respective provinces/areas during the past 4-5 years.

The second questionnaire was administered to a set of major NGOs i.e., the institutions responsible for implementing the government’s programme on non-formal basic education community “home schools” and literacy centres in various provinces. The questionnaire sought information on the number of NFE institutions, student enrolment, number and qualification of teachers, curriculum and textbooks taught, supplementary reading, teaching’ training, methods of teaching and learning, monitoring and evaluation, networking, etc.. Perceptions of NFE managers on the key achievements, problems and priority areas of action were also sought to gain insight into the future needs and assist in formulating the future emphasis of the NFE programme in the country.

3. Interviews with NFE managers at the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan: The Coordinator and related officials of the NFE Programme in EFA Wing, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, were interviewed on the various aspects of the programme such as total number of NFBE schools and literacy centres, number of teachers by qualification, training and salary; curriculum prescribed and mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation.

4. Analysis of Information: The data and related information collected at the federal

and provincial levels were analyzed and are presented systematically in tabulated and descriptive forms in Section C of the Study.

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SECTION B ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, PROFILE AND KEY POLICY MEASURES RELATED TO NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN

I. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NFE

[To be filled in after receiving info from EFA Wing]

II. STATISTICAL PROFILE OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN Technically, non-formal education comprises all those educational activities (at all levels such as primary education, vocational training, adult literacy, functional literacy, etc.) which fall “outside” the purview of the formal standardized education system, endorsed by the Government of Pakistan or an international examination syndicate/board. In Pakistan, non-formal education is generally provided through1: - non-formal basic education community or “home schools”; - vocational/skill training centres/institutes; - adult literacy/functional literacy centres; and - “deeni madrassah” or religious schools. (i) Non-formal Primary Education: Besides a few research and evaluation studies2, there is no regular systematic compilation of statistical or qualitative information on all kinds of non-formal basic education schools (NFBES) and their total enrolment. However, under the Prime Minister’s Literacy Commission project, "Establishment of 10000 Non-formal Basic Education Schools" formulated in 1995, over 7,000 non-formal basic education “home schools” are presently operational, with a total enrolment of 214,000 students.

1 This Study is limited to education provided by Non-Formal Basic Education Schools (NFBES) and Adult Literacy Centres only. 2 Studies: “Situation Analysis of Non-Formal Education Community Schools and Similar Interventions” by Abdul Aziz Memon; Ministry of Education/JICA/UNESCO; and “A Research Report of Situation Analysis – Adult Literacy in Pakistan” by Luban Saif; Minsitry of Education/JICA.

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(ii) Adult Literacy Recent census3 statistics reveal wide discrepancies in literacy levels exist across gender, location (rural vs. urban) and provinces. The overall literacy rate for the country is only 43.9%, with 54.8% for males and 32.0% for females (Table A.1). Given a limited role of the non-formal basic education schemes, it is not surprising to observe that an overwhelming proportion of the literate population has been trained under the formal system. Statistics also show that rural literacy rates (46.4% for males and 20.1% for females) are much lower than urban literacy rates (70% for males and 55.2% for females). However, as the recent non-formal schemes are focused on females, their contribution towards female literacy is higher than male literacy in rural as well as urban areas. Factors contributing to the low levels of literacy (and education) include poverty, lack of educational facilities, especially teaching staff; and parental values affected by invisibility of benefits to education. Drop out rates have soared in the recent years also due to high incidence of child labour and high opportunity costs of attending school. Table A.1: Literacy Rates (10+ years) by Gender and Location PAKISTAN RURAL URBAN All Male Female Male Female Male Female Literacy Rate (%) 43.9 54.8 32.0 46.4 20.1 70.0 52.2 Formally-trained 44.5 56.1 32.0 47.0 20.2 72.3 55.1 Non-formally trained 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.3 0.5 Source: Population and Housing Census; 1998 There is also a wide divergence in literacy rates across provinces (Table A.2). The widest gap is between literacy rates in Balochistan (24.8%) and Punjab (46.6%). Female literacy rates range between 7.9% in rural Balochistan to 57.2% in urban Punjab. Table A.2. Literacy Rates (10+ years) by Provinces OVERALL RURAL URBAN All Male Female Male Female Male Female Literacy Rate (%) Balochistan 24.8 34.0 14.1 25.8 7.9 58.1 33.1 NWFP 35.4 51.4 18.8 47.7 14.7 67.5 39.1 Punjab 46.6 57.2 35.1 50.4 24.8 70.9 57.2 Sindh 45.3 54.5 34.8 37.9 12.2 69.8 56.7 Source: Population and Housing Census; 1998

3 Population and Housing Census; 1998; Population Census Organization; Government of Pakistan.

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III. KEY POLICY MEASURES IN NON-FORMAL EDUCATION The National Education Policy (1998-2010) “ envisages democratization of education through the expansion of elementary education including formal and non-formal methods and expanded programs of adult education, literacy and functional literacy program, as basic requirement for economic development, modernization of social structure and providing equality of opportunity for all citizens.” [Chapter 4. Literacy and Non-formal Education]. Non-formal Basic Education (NFBE) was initially launched in the 1950s, under the adult literacy programes. During 1970s, the concept was more vigorously pursued but the results were not encouraging. Over the years, several non-formal literacy programmes were launched such as the Village AID Programme (1953), Literacy Progarmmes under Basic Democracies (1964-69), Experimental Pilot Projects (1977-78), Iqra Pilot Programme (1987), Nai Roshni Schools (1987-89) and the Quranic Literacy Project (1992-94) but despite common concepts, common literacy training, common materials and common strategy, these lacked innovation and did not account for cultural and social factors. The key problem was the absence of any institutional linkage between non-formal basic education programmes and formal education programmes.

(i) Non-formal Primary Education

The Prime Minister’s Literacy Commission in 1995 formulated a project titled "Establishment of 10000 Non-formal Basic Education Schools" with the total cost of Rs. 1,263.375 million. The project, based on the idea of a home school to be run through NGOs and CBOs, was to be implemented within a period of five years. However, the project suffered due to financial constraints.

The National Education Policy (1998-2010) recommended to expand the programme to a larger scale, by opening 75,000 NFBE Community Schools during the next three years. The Prime Minister of Pakistan while announcing the National Agenda, emphasized Universal Literacy for children and constituted a committee for preparation of an Action Plan. The Action Plan also recommended the expansion of NFBE Community Schools Programme. ECNEC approved the expansion of the programme on July 11, 1998 from 7,000 to 82,000 NFBE Community Schools with a total budget of Rs. 11,214.898 million. However, neither any action was taken nor any allocation made for this purpose. At present, the total enrolment in the existing NFBE schools is around 214,000.

Salient Features of the Project:

• Basic Education Schools offer learning opportunities to those miss-outs/drop-outs included under the age group of 6-14 years. • An educated person, preferably a trained PTC to be contracted for the task against a fixed emolument of Rs.1,000/- per month. In case trained PTC teacher is not available at

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local/ village level, simple Matriculates are considered. In backward areas, the educational qualification is also relaxed. • Teaching aids like black boards, charts, mats etc. for students are provided by the Government. • Learning materials in the form of books, note books, pencils, slates etc. are supplied to learners free of cost. • A condensed non-formal primary level basic education course has been developed for drop-outs and out of school youth of age 10-14 and above. [Curriculum of formal primary school system is used for all fresh entering children of age 5-9.] • Preference has been given to the establishment of schools for females. • Final examinations are conducted by Examination Teams headed by authorized representatives from District Education Offices. Graduates of Non-Formal Basic Education Schools are eligible for admission in 6th Class in formal schools. • Schools function at places provided by the community free of charge. These may include public places, Mosques, community centres, buildings spared by philanthropists, or residence of teachers. For drop-outs and miss-outs of 10-14 age group, existing school building can be used in the evening, wherever possible.

(ii) Adult Literacy A commitment to adult literacy has always been a part of all education policies in Pakistan.4 As early as 1947, the All Pakistan Educational Conference emphasized the promotion of adult education and recommended the constitution of a special section for it in the Central Advisory Board. It also called for conducting baseline surveys in the provinces, training of adult literacy teachers, production of relevant material and the launching of a literacy drive, supported by radio broadcasts and other audio visual aids. Subsequently, the All Pakistan Education Conference (1951) allocated almost Rs. 9 million for about 9,000 adult literacy centres established to train over 900,000 adults at a time. Literacy Policies in the 1970s In the 1970s, two major education policies i.e., those of 1972 and 1979, laid particular emphasis on adult literacy. The first education policy, announced in 1972, called for undertaking a massive literacy drive in every town and village; the organization of a National Literacy Corps; setting up of about 300,000 literacy centres to cater to 11 million illiterates; and the establishment of 500 factory schools, 3500 farm schools, 5000 women education centres and 300 out-of-school youth centres. A major achievement in this era was the establishment of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) in June 1974 which has, since then, played a major role in improving the literacy conditions in the country through provision of distance education. The second education policy, formulated in 1979, called for the use of television and radio programmes as a means of imparting adult literacy and the establishment of 10,000 adult literacy centres, each to be equipped with a television set. It

4 This section draws heavily on “Literacy Efforts in Pakistan: From Rhetoric to Action”; by Abdul Ghafoor Khan and Arshad Saeed Khan; National Education and Training Commission; January 1994; Islamabad.

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recommended the training of over 10,000 literacy teachers through AIOU and also introduced the dovetailing of functional and religious education with literacy training. Literacy Policies in the 1980s In the mid-1980s, to provide incentives to literacy, a number of compulsions were proposed which were provided a legal cover by the Literacy Ordinance #XXVII of 1985, promulgated by the President of Pakistan. The compulsions imposed a ban on issuing of passports, and driving and arms licences to illiterate persons as well as a ban on their recruitment in federal cadres. The Ordinance was approved by the Parliament in 1987 with a proviso that its date of enforcement may be extended. In 1991, the federal cabinet decided that the date of the Literacy (Amend) Act, 1987, may be enforced from January, 1993. This date was further postponed. Literacy Policies in the 1990s The International Literacy Year (1990) provided an opportunity to renew the commitments for ensuring a fully literate world. The two principal messages of the year were: (i) that literacy matters and it matters greatly; and (ii) that the provision of education is, above all, a public responsibility but there is a role for everyone including the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and other allied organizations to ensure this basic human right. It was within this framework that the National Education Policy, announced by the government in December 1992, pledged to achieve a literacy rate target of 50% by 1995 and 70% by 2002. It stated: “The provincial governments, NGOs and local institutions shall be actively involved both in planning and implementation; the federal agencies assuming the role of coordination, monitoring and evaluation in addition to providing technical support for development of materials and training. Allocations for adult literacy programmes will be substantially enhanced at the federal and provincial levels.” In the context of literacy strategies, the policy laid particular emphasis on female population; NGO involvement; the integration of literacy programmes with skill-based community development programmes. Measures identified to implement these strategies included the utilization of the print and electronic media, adult literacy classes as an integral component of evening shifts in primary schools; establishment of provincial adult education directorates with district wings and the designation of the National Education and Training Commission (NETCOM) as the main coordinating agency for adult education and literacy programmes. The National Institute of Training and Research for Literacy (NITRL) was set up under the NETCOM to provide services to agencies engaged in literacy work. The objectives, in the context of literacy, in the most recent Education Policy (1998-2010) include: (i) to impart functional literacy for adolescents (10-14 years) who missed out the chance of primary education; and (ii) to provide lasting functional literacy and income generation skills for rural women in the age group 15-25 years.

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Key strategies to achieve these objectives include: (i) the launching of a nation-wide National Literacy Movement on an emergency basis in every village, tehsil and district; (ii) allocation of adequate funds; (iii) the utilization of mosques, wherever feasible, to provide non-formal basic education to increase literacy; (iv) all the industrial units registered under the Factory Act and public sector agencies will consider it mandatory to make their employees and their dependents literate; (v) the utilization of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides to expand literacy programmes; and (vi) the preparation of a plan of action by the Prime Minister’s Literacy Commission (PMLC), the apex body entrusted with the task of raising literacy. The PMLC will involve and encourage all the organizations, particularly the Allama Iqbal open University (AIOU) in the development of teacher training packages, materials, teaching aids, etc.. The AIOU will also be involved in the development of post literacy skill training programmes through distance learning. More recently, the Education Sector Reforms, initiated by the present government, build on the 1998-2010 Education Policy and thus are not a new education policy but an Action Plan for Reform. Based on a three-year action plan for 2001-2004, these reforms aim to improve the literacy rate from 47% to 60%. Recognizing the close linkages between poverty and illiteracy; the importance of public-private partnership; and the need for good governance and management in education sector, the new reforms include projects which emphasize the combination of literacy with functional skills such as the Women’s Literacy for Empowerment Project; and an innovative programme for adult literacy such as National Adult Literacy Campaign which aims at making 13.5 million adults (18+ years) literate. (iii) Policy for the 21st Century • The United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-12) Launched worldwide in mid-2003, the Literacy Decade (2003-2012) was adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly in a resolution of December 2001 and UNESCO was asked to coordinate the work of the Decade.. It expresses strongly the collective will of the international community, both those who face a big literacy challenge and those who may be in a position to give assistance in meeting it. The nations of the world recognize that the promotion of literacy is in the interest of all, as part of efforts towards peace, respect and dialogue in a globalizing world. In particular, the Decade will address the poorest and the most marginalized populations under the banner of “Literacy for all: voice for all, learning for all” and according to its draft proposal, “Literacy policies and programmes today require going beyond the limited view of literacy that has dominated in the past. Literacy for all requires a renewed vision of literacy…”. The Literacy Decade is also a part of broader international work in education and development. The Education for All (EFA) goal of increasing literacy rates by 50% by 2015 provides the overall target for the Decade, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set the Decade in the context of poverty reduction. Priority groups include non-literate youth and adults, especially women; out-of-school children and youth, especially girls, adolescent girls and young women; and children in school without access to quality learning.

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Key areas of action focus on:

• policy development; • delivery of literacy through formal and non-formal approaches; • capacity-building; • research; • community participation; and • monitoring and evaluation.

Outcomes expected by the end of the Decade include significant progress towards the Dakar goals related to education and literacy; attainment by all learners of a mastery level of learning in reading, writing, numeracy, critical thinking, and other life skills; a dynamic literate environment and improved quality of life. • Education Sector Reforms (ESR) – 2001-05 The present Government is fully committed to the goals of EFA, effectively addressed through the Education Sector Reforms (ESR) programme. The ESR is designed within the framework of the National Education Policy (1998-2010) and the Ten-Year Perspective Development Plan (2001-2011). Its measures are also fully integrated with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), an innovative initiative policy framework of the government to promote pro-poor economic growth through sound macroeconomic policies, governance reforms, improved human development, greater income-generating policies, and targeted interventions. The ESR also serves as a foundation of the National Plan of Action (NPA) for Education, developed as a long-term framework (2001-15) to achieve three EFA goals of universal primary education through formal and non-formal means; adult literacy; and early childhood care. A comprehensive package of educational reforms with medium term targets, the Education Sector Reforms (ESR) Action Plan for 2001-2005 was finalized through a consultative process involving over 600 partners. The main features of ESR’s reform agenda is a strategy for a holistic approach to education, including all areas of EFA and entailing legislative, administrative and financial actions at all levels. The guiding principles of ESR are derived from the linkages between poverty and literacy, the imperative of need-based programmes and budget allocations and creating gender balance in education at all levels. Implementation strategies stress promulgation of Compulsory Primary Education Ordinance, good governance and management, recognition of the contribution of the private sector in education and partnership between private institutions, NGOs and government. In the context of non-formal education, the ESR states that for those who missed the first chance, new opportunities are being created on mass scale through non-formal basic education and adult literacy programmes. These programmes would cater to three different age groups i.e., 5-9 years; 10-14 years; and 15+ years using appropriate strategies and instructional material. The younger age group will be enabled to enter mainstream education whereas the older groups will be assisted to acquire functional literacy, undergo skill-training, benefit from micro-credit facilities and engage in economically-rewarding activities.

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• The National Plan of Action (NPA) – 2001-15 According to the National Plan of Action (NPA), access to primary education, particularly of girls, will be improved through, besides expansion of the formal school facilities, a network of Non-Formal Basic Education Schools (NFBES), especially in remote areas of where girls’ schools are either not available or where girls’ participation rates are low. These schools will continue to play their role until regular primary schools are established in these areas. With the expansion of the formal system of primary education, these schools may be gradually replaced or absorbed with the regular system. Non-formal middle level education will also be introduced in collaboration with Allama Iqbal Open University. Academic calendar and school hours of non-formal schools will be made flexible enough to cater to the needs of working children also. To reduce adult illiteracy, one of the major measures proposed is the opening of literacy centres throughout the country. A total number of 270,000 literacy centres (45,000 in 2002/03; 90,000 in 2003/04; and 135,000 in 2004/05) will be established. Each centre will complete 2 cycles of 6 months course during one year. After completing 1-2 cycles in a locality, almost 66% of the centres would be closed or shifted to other sites; and the remaining 33% of the centres would be upgraded to functional literacy/trade/skill development centres. On an average, 100,000 literacy centres would continue to be opened every year in the public sector till the completion of the NPA (2015) so as to clear the backlog of illiterate population. The private sector, too, is expected to actively participate in the literacy drive. Retired teachers, army personnel, religious scholars and other people will be provided incentives to establish literacy centres. It is expected that almost 1,000 literacy centres would be established per year in the first two phases of the NPA and 2,000 centres per year in the third phase.

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SECTION C NON-FORMAL EDUCATION PAKISTAN One of the basic challenges which Pakistan faces is the low rate of adult literacy, which has remained a neglected area in educational planning. The root cause of the current high illiteracy rates lies in the low rates of primary participation over the past few decades, leading to the present “backlog” of over 50 million adult illiterates in the country. The situation today, too, shows little progress:

• Of the total 18 million primary school-aged children (aged 5-9 years), 6 million children are currently out-of-school;

• Of the 6 million out-of-school children , 4.3 million (61%) are girls and 1.7 million (39%) are boys;

• The drop-out rate in primary schools is reported at 54% for girls and 45% for boys. Besides rampant poverty, with over 30% of the population living below the poverty line, there are systemic factors responsible for low primary enrolments:

• the shortage of school facilities within close proximity; • absenteeism and lack of motivation among teachers; • irrelevant curriculum and sub-standard textbooks; • weak systems of monitoring and supervision; and • lack of community participation.

Low levels of girls’ participation can be traced to lack of access to girls’ schools especially in rural and remote areas, shortage of qualified females to serve as teachers and conservatism in the society, especially among the feudal and tribal populations. To reach the presently un-reached segments of society, the National Plan of Action (NPA) on EFA suggests the expansion of both formal and non-formal education facilities for both children and adults. It plans the establishment of new primary schools, rehabilitation of existing schools, introduction of a double shift in existing schools, upgrading of primary schools to middle level and more importantly, the expansion of the network of non-formal basic education schools and adult literacy centers. Non-formal basic education schools (NFBES) would play a key role in enhancing the present primary participation rates and reducing future illiteracy. These schools would offer the formal school primary course in areas where either regular schools are non-existent or where the enrolment rates are low. Under the Education Sector Reforms (ESR), the establishment of 30,000 new NFBES have been planned for 2001-05, while another 15,000 will be opened during 2005-06. These 45,000 non-formal education schools would enroll over 900,000 out-of-school children. A total number of 270,000 adult literacy centers have also been planned under the ESR. After 2005, almost 100,000 literacy centers would be opened annually till the year 2015.

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THE NFE PROGRAMME IN PAKISTAN (Following is the tabulation plan of the study- this section is based on field information and will be filled in after receiving info from EFA Wing and NGOs) (i) Non-Formal Basic Education Schools and Adult Literacy Centres: Number of Institutions, Students and Teachers

Table 1a. Total Number of Non-Formal Basic Education Schools (NFBES) and Adult Literacy

Centres by Enrolment and Number of Teachers Year Non-Formal Basic Education Schools Adult Literacy Centre # of

Schools Student Enrolment

# Teachers # of Ctrs.

Enrolment # Teachers

Boys Girls Male Female Males Females Males Females 1999/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 Future Plans

04/05 05/06 06/07 Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad. Table 1b. Number of NGOs responsible for implementing NFE Programmes in Provinces NUMBER OF NON-GOVT. ORGANIZATIONS In: PUNJAB SINDH NWFP BALOCHISTAN ICT FEDERAL

AREAS NFBES Adult Lit. Ctrs

Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

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(ii) Budgetary Allocations and Expenditures to/on NFE Table 2a: Budgetary Allocations and Expenditures to/on Non-formal Basic Education Schools (NFBES) by Provinces/Areas

PUNJAB SINDH NWFP BALOCHISTAN ICT FEDERAL AREAS

Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp 1999/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 Future Plans

04/05 05/06 06/07 Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

Table 2b: Budgetary Allocations and Expenditures to/on Adult Literacy Centres by Provinces/Areas PUNJAB SINDH NWFP BALOCHISTAN ICT FEDERAL

AREAS Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp Alloc Exp 1999/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 Future Plans

04/05 05/06 06/07 Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

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Table 2c: Budgetary Allocations to Various NFE Heads by Provinces/Areas PUNJAB SINDH NWFP BALOCHIST

AN ICT FEDERAL

AREAS NFBES AL NFBES AL NFBES AL NFBES AL NFBES AL NFBES AL 1.Teachers’Salaries

2.Textbooks/Primers

3.Teaching Materials

4.Utilities/O&M

5.M&E/Supervision

6.Teachers’ Training

7. 8. 9. TOTAL Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

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(iii) Teaching Methods, Curriculum and Learning/Teaching Materials Table 3a: Number of Institutions by Teaching Methods in NFE Classroom-

based Discussions Practice/Workbook Audio/Video Other TOTAL

NFBES Adult Literacy Ctrs

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table 3b: Number of Institutions by Primer/Textbook and Supplementary Reading in NFE Nature of Primer Taught Supplementary

Material Provided by School (Y/N)

TOTAL Govt’s formal

primer Self-prepared Primer

Primer developed by NGO

Other

NFBES Adult Literacy Ctrs

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table 3c: Number of Institutions by Learning Materials in NFE Workbooks Writing

copies Flashcards Pencils Slate Others TOTAL

NFBES Adult Literacy Ctrs

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table 3d: Number of Institutions by Teaching Materials in NFE Blackboard Charts Audio/Video Teaching

Guides Other TOTAL

NFBES Adult Literacy Ctrs

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table 3e: Number of Institutions by Nature and Frequency of Tests/Exams in NFE Weekly Monthly Quarterly Annually Not

regular No Tests/Exams

TOTAL

NFBES - Oral - Written

Adult Literacy - Oral - Written

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Tests’/exams results are mostly utilized for ………………..

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(iv) Teachers’ Qualification, Training and Participation Table 4a: Percentage of NFE Teachers by Qualification, Training and Participation.

Type of Course

Number of Non-Formal Teachers Qualification Training Nature Participation

%Below Matric

%Matric %Above Matric

%Trained %Untrained % Full Time

% Part Time

NFBES -Male -Female

Adult Literacy -Male -Female

Source: Field Survey; 2004.

Table 4b: Number of NFBES Teachers Trained by Provinces PUNJAB SINDH NWFP BALOCHISTA

N ICT FEDERAL

AREAS M F M F M F M F M F M F 1999/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 TOTAL Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

Table 4c: Number of Adult Literacy Teachers Trained by Provinces PUNJAB SINDH NWFP BALOCHISTA

N ICT FEDERAL

AREAS M F M F M F M F M F M F 1999/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 TOTAL Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

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NFE teachers’ training is held at the national/provincial/district levels? The average duration of teachers’ training is _______ days/weeks/months for NFBES teacher and _____ days/weeks/months for adult literacy teacher. Refresher courses were also held at intervals of _____ months/years.

Table 4d: Number of Institutions by Nature of NFE Teacher’ Training

Teachers Trained in: TOTAL In

primer In blackboard writing

In conducting discussions

In class discipline

In Health issues

In religion

Others

NFBES Adult Literacy Centre

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table 4e: Material used in NFE Teacher’ Training

Materials used in Teachers’ Training TOTAL Training

Manual/Guide Self-learning Modules

Handouts Practical work

Demonstrations Audio/Video

Other

NFBES Adult Literacy Centre

Source: Field Survey; 2004.

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(v) Supervisors’ Qualification, Training and Participation

Monitoring of the NFE programme and its implementing NGOs is undertaken regularly by a team of qualified and trained supervisors …………….

Table 5a: Number of Institutions by Nature of NFE Monitoring

MONITORING OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION EVALUATION Field Visits (e.g.

monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)

Progress Reports (e.g. monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)

Meetings (e.g. monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)

VECs (e.g. monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)

Other (specify)

Evaluation Report

Prepared (Yes/No)

Available (Yes/No)

NFBES Adult Literacy

Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

Table 5b: NFE Supervisors by Qualification, Training and Participation.

Type of Course

Number of Non-Formal Supervisors Qualification Training Nature Participation

%Below Matric

%Matric %Above Matric

%Trained %Untrained % Full Time

% Part Time

NFBES -Male -Female

Adult Literacy -Male -Female

Source: Field Survey; 2004.

Supervisors’ training is held at the national/provincial/district levels? The average duration of supervisors’ training is _______ days/weeks/months for NFE. Refresher courses were also held at intervals of _____ months/years.

Table 5c: Number of Institutions by Material used in Supervisors’ Training

Materials used in Supervisors’ Training TOTAL Training

Manual/Guide Self-learning Modules

Handouts Practical work

Demonstrations Audio/Video

Other

NFE Supervisors’ Training

Source: Field Survey; 2004.

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SECTION D ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS AND PRIORITY AREAS FOR ACTION IN NFE Table x: Number of Institutions by Achievements of NFE High

Enrolment Low Drop-out/High retention

Good Quality Education

Contrib. to Aware ness/Social Uplift

Catering to Poor Masses

Employment for Teachers

Other TOTAL

NFBES Adult Literacy

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table x: Number of Institutions by Problems in NFE Lack of

Cooperation from NGOs

Lack of NGO Capacity

Lack of Financial Resources

Cumbersome procedures or red tape

Lack of Teachers

Shortage of Primers/Teach. Materials

Lack of Demand from masses

High Drop Out Rate

TOTAL

NFBES Adult Literacy

Source: Field Survey; 2004. Table x: Number of Institutions by Priority Areas for Action Higher

demand from Parents & Mass Awareness

Well-defined Govt. Policy

More Technical Assistance be given by Govt.

More Financial Assistance be given by Govt.

Financial Assistance from other Donors

Other (specify)

Other (specify)

TOTAL

NFBES Adult Literacy

Source: Field Survey; 2004.

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Table x: Overall Evaluation of NFE Programme as perceived by NFE Managers Overall Performance Shortcomings

Excellent Satisfactory Fair Poor Gaps in Planning, Implementation

Identify Future Effort/Inputs

Needed (specify) 1. Budgetary Allocation

2. Budgetary Utilization

3. Provision of Textbooks

4. Training of Non-Teaching Personnel

5. Training of Teachers

6. Monitoring & Supervision

7. Networking among Stakeholders

8. Other (specify) 9. Other (specify) Source: EFA Wing, Ministry of Education; Islamabad.

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SECTION E CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE OVERALL NFE MECHANISM IN PAKISTAN eshya/unesco/nfe.study/20-05-04