Khairpur, a land of meticulously lined date palms and vast cotton fields, boasts a majestic past. This former princely state is situated 450 km north of Karachi and shares a border with India to its east. Its southeastern portion is parched desert while the remainder of the district is afflicted with the menace of acute water-logging and salinity, making life for its rural inhabitants extremely difficult. Although agriculture is the main occupation, employing 80 percent of its inhabitants, only a handful own large landholdings. During the hot summer months temperatures can reach an unbearable 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).
In the rural areas of this deprived region only 53% of children attend primary school. Furthermore, as many as 52% of children 10 years and older are illiterate. Lastly, while the average literacy rate for males in rural Khairpur is 65%, for females it is a bleak 25%.
It is in this district of Khairpur that DIL collaborated with the Naz High School Old Boys Welfare Trust (NOWA) in September 1998 on a community school project for girls called the “NOWA Pirbhat DIL Project”.
Number of schools: 22
Number of students: 1602
Number of teachers: 74
Computer labs: 8
Libraries: 22
Project Information
Schools:
The 22 DIL-NOWA schools have been divided into five clusters. Each cluster is monitored and supported by a local Field Promoter.
Faiz Gang Cluster: A.H. Mungia, Bozdar Wada, Mevo Khan Mangrio
Gambat Cluster: Faizal Mahar, Gadeji Primary, Gadeji Middle, Khalifa, Meenho Khan Jamro
Khairpur Cluster: Dhani Bux Katohar, Janwari, M.Murad Katohar, Madina colony, Unnar Colony
Kingri Cluster: Hamid Bhutto, Sadder Ji Bhatyoon, Bhatyoon, Ghulam Ali Shah,
Kot Diji Cluster: Boota Khan Bhatti, Izzat Machi, Kotdiji, Mir Muhammed Solangi
Field Promoters visit schools several times a week and conduct a myriad of tasks supporting the teachers, students and community. They: 1) organize and conduct teacher-training workshops, 2) provide on-going coaching and support to teachers in the classroom and at school meetings, 3) act as mentors for teachers, 4) conduct teacher needs assessments, 5) monitor teacher and student performance, 6) and work with CBO members and parents to ensure community support and understanding of the importance of education.
Project Staff
Mr. M. B. Larik (Project Director)
Ms. Sheereen Sial (Project Coordinator)
Mr. Wahid Bux Khand (Assistant to Project Coordinator)
Mr. Murad Ali (Finance officer)
Mr. Baddar-UD-Din Solangi (Computer Instructor)
Mr. Shahid Hussain (Field Promoter - Faiz Gang Cluster)
Mr. Gulbahar Jamro (Field Promoter - Gambat Cluster)
Ms. Shahnaz Mughal (Field Promoter - Khairpur Clusters)
Ms. Zarina Burdi (Field Promoter – Kotdiji Cluster)
Ms. Saima sheikh (Field Promotor – Kingri Cluster)
Project Update 2006:
Student Dropout Rate: 0.45%
Out of 1609 students, only 7 dropped out of school in 2006.
Exam Results:
Out of 80 students that took the 5th grade exam, 84% received marks above 60%, which is considered 1st division in Pakistan, and 16% received marks above 50%, which is considered 2nd division. No student failed the exam.
Teacher Retention Rate:
Out of the 70 teachers that were employed last year, 2 teachers moved out of Khairpur and 3 were let go due to low performance.
Teacher Training:
In 2006, trainers from the Educational Resource Development Centre (ERDC) provided a one-year Teachers’ Training Program to the teachers on the following topics:
- English Skills Development
- Teaching of Math
- Effective Use of Learning Resources
- Early Childhood Education
- Teaching of Science
