FAQS

Sindh Basic Education Program(FAQs)

Sindh Basic Education Program

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

What is Sindh Basic Education Program?

Sindh Basic Education program is an integrated program towards modernizing the education in Sindh. The Government of Sindh and U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are working together to implement the Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP). The program aims to improve the quality and access to basic education for children in Sindh by increasing and sustaining student enrollment at primary, middle and secondary levels. The USAID is contributing $155 million to the program while Government of Sindh (GoS), Education and Literacy Department, adding $10 million contribution to implementation unit of the program. The implementation period is up to 2020.

 

What is geographical area of operation of SBEP and Selection Criteria for the Districts?

The Government of Sindh and USAID/Pakistan have mutually agreed to focus the interventions of the Program to the 7 districts (Sukkur, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Larkana, Qamber Shahdad Kot and Dadu) of northern part and 5 towns ( Gadap, Orangi, Lyari, Bin Qasim and Keamari) of Karachi in Sindh. These districts were selected on the basis of education, social and other indicators like floods affected districts of 2010 floods. Districts were also selected on the criteria of successful implementation of education reforms in the past.

 

What is the role of USAID in SBEP?

SBEP is an agreement between two Governments to uplift the education system in Sindh. Under this agreement the Government of USA supports $155M while Sindh Government supports $10M to Program Management and Implementation Units for the execution of this Program.  USAID is the equivalent entity for execution and maintenance of the program.

 

What is the role of Government of Sindh in SBEP?

Sindh Basic Education Program in its very origin is Government of Sindh initiative, is being implemented through Education and Literacy Department.  The ELD is responsible for operation and maintenance of the program through the establishment of PMIU. The GOS has established Program Steering Committee (PSC) with representation from USAID. The PSC will be chaired by the Secretary, Education & Literacy Department.  Members of the Committee include Secretary, Planning & Development Department, Additional Secretary, Finance Department, Chief Program Manager RSU, and Deputy Commissioners of concerned districts. Program Director, PMIU - SBEP will act as member/Secretary of PSC. The representative of USAID/Pakistan will attend all meetings of the PSC as an observer, and may contribute to the discussions. The Directors of School Education (Larkana, Sukkur, Hyderabad & Karachi) have also been added as members of PSC. The objectives of the Program are in line with Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF) prepared by the Planning Commission. It is specifically in line with the Medium Term Sector Framework for School Level Education, Sindh. MTDF plans to address issues related to missing infrastructure, gender gaps, improved monitoring and evaluation of projects and programs. GOS has included the program in the provincial Annual Development Program (ADP).

 

What are the selection criteria of construction of schools by SBEP?

Following are overall guiding principles for the selection of schools:

  • Primary/middle/secondary and higher secondary schools which are completely damaged during the 2010 floods in targeted districts (Refer to IMMAP assessment reports). Concerned District Administrations will identify and prioritize the flood damaged schools. District Administrations have also certify about the kind and extent of damage to schools (fully damaged due to flood / dangerous buildings)
  • Primary/middle/secondary and higher secondary schools having dangerous buildings. These schools are also meeting the criteria for merge, consolidate or up-grade with adjacent schools in targeted districts (Refer to DOE (Works) reports, or district administrations will certify about the kind and extent of dangerous schools (fully/partially dangerous buildings). District Office will confirm that the said school is not under construction or repair.
  • Alternate locations (land) for those completely damaged schools which are located in the floodplain. Alternate locations in settled areas will be selected that must be at a safe distance from floodplain.
  • Ensure the even distribution of newly constructed schools in all union councils. Priority to be given to girls middle/high schools and to those union councils where there are no girls’ middle/high schools (Overall, at least 60% of schools should be girls’/(mix) Primary/middle/high schools).
  • Ensure that the proposed school sites are free of conditions and installations which endanger the life, safety and health of children. Sites should be away from large bodies of water such as lakes, streams or sewage lines. In addition, consideration to be given to highways, tall buildings and other high traffic areas.
  • Conduct community consultations for the site selection of proposed schools. Ensure that school sites are central to and easily accessible to the present and/or future population.
  • Ensure that adequate land is available to accommodate construction of the school. GOS to obtain land from its own resources and/or through community donation. USAID funds cannot be used to acquire land. The land should be free from any litigation, and should be legally under the control of the Department of Education and/or appropriate District Education Department.
  • Ensure that GOS has allocated budget for recurrent/maintenance funds for schools and schools have valid Sindh Educational Management Information (SEMIS) code.
  • Assess the on-going GOS exercise to merge, consolidate and upgrade schools to better managed facilities. Identify schools for construction after the completion and official notification by GOS of new school sites as campus or hub schools.
  • Campus/hub school head master/principal will be up-graded to BPS 17/18 and he will have Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) powers. Principal will be authorized to hire intern teacher, support staff and transfer non performing teachers and support staff. Campus/hub schools will have school specific budget as GOS policy.
  • The merged schools will cease to exist, as per the GoS policy. However, District Administration will make plans to use the facility for educational services, such as library, vocational/training centers, hostels for girls etc, where feasible.

 

What are the components of SBEP?

The Sindh Basic Education Program focuses not only the construction of schools, but improving overall education impact in Sindh through its various components.

  • Construction of 106 schools affected by 2010 floods through Program Management & Implementation Unit (PMIU) of the E&LD – Government of Sindh.
  • Support to Government of Sindh (GOS) policy reforms to merge, consolidate and upgrade schools through the construction of schools, under Consolidation Policy through PMIU.
  • Improvement in early grade reading in primary schools through Sindh Reading Program
  • Community mobilization, with a focus on increasing girl’s enrollment and improving the nutritional status of children through the Sindh Community Mobilization Program.
  • Capacity building of Government Institutions by providing technical assistance to the PMIU & Department of Education though Sindh Capacity Development Project.

 

What is Program Management and Implementation Unit (PMIU)?

For the implementation and management of the Program, a Program Management and Implementation Unit (PMIU) have been established in the Education and Literacy Department, GOS. PMIU is headed by a Program Director who will report directly to the Secretary Education and Literacy Department. PMIU serves as the Secretariat of the PSC. PMIU comprises four sections: Construction Management, Learning, Reforms, and Community Mobilization, Back Office Services, and Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation. 

Government of Sindh is responsible for using its own resources to pay the salaries and other personnel related benefits and expenses, and operating (recurring expenditures) of the PMIU. Operating costs of PMIU represents the integral part of GOS funding in the Program. The Government of Sindh is contributing to the Program by hiring additional teachers, technicians, librarians (as needed) to staff the new schools. Other operation, repair and maintenance costs of schools are also borne by the Government of Sindh.

 

What is Sindh Reading Program (SRP)?

Implementing a key goal of the new worldwide USAID Education Strategy, the Sindh Reading Program improves reading and numeracy skills among students in early grades. The activity is being implemented by Chemonics International in consultation and collaboration with USAID Pakistan and GOS institutions. The activity is envisioned to maximize participation of parents, caregivers and the larger community in improving the quality of education in public schools. SRP also focus on Trainings for Teachers and up gradation of libraries in program areas of SBEP.

 

What is Community Mobilization Program (CMP)?

The community mobilization component of the Sindh Basic Education Program is working to engage parents and help to provide solutions to problems that prevent sending girls to school.  Part of the program is to allow communities that do not benefit from newly built Sindh Basic Education Program schools to apply for small grants, linking with the school development plan. These funds may be used by School Management Committees (SMCs) or the local civil society organizations for the construction of latrines, provision of clean water, child friendly furniture, temporary teachers, school supplies, and minor school repairs.

 Program focuses on three key areas:

  • Community involvement for school construction
  • Community involvement to increase girls’ education
  • Community involvement to improve the nutrition status of students

 

 What is Sindh Capacity Development Project (SCDP)

Sindh Capacity Development Project enhances the capabilities of PMIU, E&LD and officers of Education Department in Program Districts.

 

What is Education Management Organizations (EMOs)

EMOs are reputable organizations from the market that have a credible track record of providing a range of quality Education services, including management of educational institutions. These organizations can be for-profit and not-for-profit and must have the capacity to provide quality school management to a set of public sector schools. The GOS has allocated Rs. 200 million for piloting the EMOs model in the

2015-16 fiscal year, while the amount has been extended up to one thousand million rupees for the year 2016-17. The first batch of 4 SBEP schools has been handed over to Sukkur IBA and Charter for Compassion in Sukkur & Khairpur districts, while Expression of Interests (EOI) has announced for handing over of 9 more school in this quarter. The E&LD have outsourced the management of these schools to the selected reputable educational organizations under the Public Private Partnership node through Performance-based management contracts.

 

 How SBEP schools are different from normal Govt. School?

The SBEP schools are completely different from normal Govt. schools. The new school building is child friendly with key features of library, computer lab, science lab, administrative block, multipurpose hall, health room and separate toilets for boys and girls have been provided. Boundary wall of the school ensures the safety and privacy of the teachers and learners. School have its own filtered drinking water supply, an electric connection and sewerage disposal. A separate administrative block serves the needs of school administration, staff and visitors. The school building has deep foundation system, cavity perimeter walls to cater for the hot weather along with 12’ ceiling heights. The building has features to resist disasters.

The school building is empirical symbol of art and architecture which is a greater step towards modernizing the education in Sindh.

 

Can SBEP expend its operation in other districts?

Ans. SBEP is working in only approved districts of Sindh mentioned above and its operations are limited to it approved program areas. SBEP can’t expand its operation in other districts.

 

Can SBEP support NGOs working on education?

SBEP is approved by ECNEC and has limited funding sources for the approved program and can’t support any NGO for any purpose.

 

What is Pakistan Reading Project?

The USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project (PRP), implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and its partners (Creative Associates International, World Learning, and Institute of Rural Management), is a seven-year project with the objective to support the provincial and regional departments of education (DoE) throughout Pakistan to improve reading skills of children in grades one and two. The project will achieve this goal through three distinct but interrelated components that will work in synergy to affect the quality of early grade education: improved classroom learning environment for reading, improved policies and systems for reading, and community based support for reading in Pakistan.

 

The project is improving the quality of teaching and assessment of reading by supporting improvements to teachers’ pre-service education, providing a model for continuous professional development for in-service teachers, and making supplemental instructional materials more widely available to primary school teachers. The project’s strategy entails supporting efforts of the Government of Pakistan in each province and region to achieve these goals. To ensure sustainable improvement in the quality of reading instruction in Pakistan, the project is focusing on building the capacity of provincial and district government stakeholders.

 

Working closely with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and teacher education apex institutions, the project is developing the reading curricula for the two-year Associate Degree in Education (ADE) and four-year Bachelor’s Degree in Education (B.Ed.) Honors programs and supporting these programs in 111 teacher training institutes across Pakistan. To attract and assist qualified students enroll in these degree programs, the project is awarding over 3,161 USAID merit-based scholarships.

The Pakistan Reading Project is promoting the adaptation and implementation of policies that promote quality teaching and will ensure the sustainability of its initiatives over time through permanent policy changes.

The intervention will be improved reading instruction and assessment of 23,800 teachers in 23,800 public schools. Towards the end of the project, we anticipate to reach at least 1,300,000 grade 1 and 2 students across 7 provinces of Pakistan.

 

Project Objectives

Improve classroom learning environment for reading

Improve policies and systems for reading

Community – based support for reading

 

Anticipated Results

1.3 million Grade 1 and 2 students receiving reading interventions.

Improved reading policies and systems for reading.

23,800 teachers in 23,800 public schools with improved skills in teaching reading and conducting classroom assessments.

111 teacher training institutions (colleges and universities) offering ADE and B.Ed. (Hons.) degree programs.

Development of reading curriculum for ADE and B.Ed. (Hons.) program.

3,161 scholarships for ADE and B.Ed. (Hons.) students.

7 million Reading Learning Material (RLM) provided for schools.

Establishment and strengthening of 23,800 classroom based corner libraries.

Provision of 23,800 tablet computers to teachers.

Mobile bus libraries reaching out to 300 communities.

Small grants awarded to local NGOs and CBOs to support community based reading initiatives.