Community Based Schools in District Bhakkar

Project Title: ‘Increasing Access and Improving Quality of Education for Children of Deprived Communities in Mankera, District Bhakkar of Pakistan’

1. The Project

1.1 Project area

Bhakkar is a District, with Bhakkar city as its capital, in the Punjab province of Pakistan having a population of 1.05 million people. It has four tehsils with total of 42 union councils. Of the four tehsils, Mankera is the least developed. People of this area are very poor and dependent on agricultural activity for their livelihood. Education and health facilities are not easily available while public transport is scarce. The literacy rate of the area being low, residents are not very much aware of education and its benefits. The initial project area covers Ten (10) selected villages of Mankera.

1.2 Project Goal

Promote human resource development, through education and training programmes, in the under privileged rural areas of Pakistan.

1.3 Objectives Of The Project

To increase access to quality education for school going age children in selected union councils/villages of Tehsil Mankera, District Bhakkar.
To impart knowledge based interactive and child centred teaching methodologies and to build capacities of the teachers at Community Based Schools in Mankera.
To provide employment opportunities to female teachers and help improve their skills and knowledge base.
To make communities aware and responsive to striving for quality education for their children.
To develop a replicable model so that it can be replicated / adapted in other deserving tehsils/districts as well.

1.4 Target Group

Under the project, children of school going age in rural areas, having little or no access to primary schooling, shall be the main focus. The drop out children, especially those who could not afford to pay for their education, will be encouraged to re-join schooling through need based scholarships.
The in service and potential female teachers would be the other main target group. These teachers would be provided with the required teachers’ support and training in order for them to impart creative and interactive teaching methodology and at the same time improve and strengthen their knowledge base.
The communities of the ten identified villages will be very much part of the project and their active participation in the management and running of the schools will be solicited.

1.5 Expected Outcome

500 children (both girls and boys) of deprived communities will have access to quality primary education.
10 self-sustaining and functioning Community Based Schools established in 10 villages and providing quality education under good teaching and learning environment.
25 teachers trained and imparting child centred teaching methodologies and using teaching aids with improved skills.
Communities mobilized and aware of the benefits of quality education for their children and actively participating and managing own schools.
Good linkages developed between communities and government education department.

2. CBSs Established So Far

S. no	CBS Name	# Students*	Village Name	Union Council
1	Aas	58	Chananwala	Mahni
2	Mashal	53	Buttanwala	Mahni
3	Sehar	28	Hassiwala	Mahni
4	Jinnah	43	Koru	Goharwala
5	Nigheban	31	Gondlanwala	Goharwala
6	Ujal	34	Laranwanwala	Goharwala
7	Roshni	61	Bamb	Goharwala
8	Shama	45	Hassanabad	Litten
9	Saring	34	Saring wala	Pati Blanada
		397