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The Faisalabad experiment: Putting children at the centre of education
3 August 2007
In Pakistan, to be a child of school age is no guarantee of a place in school.
And having a place in school is itself no guarantee of a quality education.
A flagging education system is failing the country's children, and although Pakistan has made a commitment to reforming its schools, only practical action can make a real difference.
This is why DFID is funding an innovative new approach to education in one district. The experiment in Faisalabad - where almost half of all children are out of school and examination results are amongst the worst in the Punjab province - puts the needs of children at the centre of schooling.
Schools that listen to children
Before
it got off the ground, the project listened closely to pupils, discovering what they wanted from their teachers
and from school as a whole. Faisalabad's youngsters made
their wishes very clear. “Teachers should respect and love their children,” said
one elementary school pupil.
Another demanded that teachers should be “polite, honest and hardworking”, and asked for the right equipment so that children could “take an interest in science, and a library so that we can enhance our knowledge.”
With the message coming through that schools needed to be more child-friendly, the
District Government
was able to set its goals and build a strategy. Out went corporal punishment and non-attentive teachers, and in
came a drive for more interesting educational experiences, delivered by teachers sensitive to their pupils' needs.
Training teachers to make a difference
But
instilling new attitudes and abilities requires expert training. At the
newly established Institute of Learning, teachers can become master trainers, able to impart child-focussed teaching
skills to heads, other teachers and members of local communities. So far, 241 head teachers and 490
teachers have benefited, along with 180 community members.
What makes the methods of the Institute so radical is that they revolve around activity-based learning, a vast change from the traditional Pakistani method of learning by rote. Teachers undertake the same activities as their pupils, enabling them to see for themselves how it is to learn. With manuals now being developed, these techniques will be passed on to others.
At the Institute, trainers work hard to establish friendly relationships with teachers. For some of those receiving training, this is the first time they have been taught in a pleasant and understanding manner. This has inspired teachers to treat their pupils equally well.
An example from one school in Jaranwala shows the difference that is being made. Initially, the head teacher was sceptical about the experiment and was adamant that she didn't need any training. However, once the course was underway, she became more engaged, and by the end she had a different outlook. "Now, I understand the problems of the school," she says, "and I'm taking a keen interest to solve them."
Transforming lives now - and in the future
In
the same school there has been a marked increase in enrolment and attendance. No
pupils have dropped out this year, and students are even enrolling from a school
nearby. Teachers have commented that "through activity-based learning children
have become more confident and active", and "the most difficult lessons have
become easier for us to teach - children are understanding the real meaning of
them."
A number of Faisalabad's schools have now been selected as “Lighthouse Schools”.
These will train teachers in
activity-based learning and have small libraries where neighbouring schools can access training materials.
The Lighthouse Schools show
that changes are gathering pace, but the
District Education
Department must increase the scope of the Faisalabad experiment. This could
lead to a long-term
strengthening of the education system in Faisalabad, enabling all children to
get the education they need and deserve.
Key facts
- DFID is providing technical assistance over four years (2004-2008) to support the strengthening of decentralised local government in Faisalabad City District.
- The total budget for the local government project is £5.9 million, £1.3 million of which is for education.
- Almost half of children are out of school in Faisalabad District, with many employed in factories, and completion rates in primary schools are very low, particularly for girls.
- One-fifth of primary school teaching posts in the district are unfilled, and the quality of teaching is generally very poor.
- By 2008 DFID hopes to see a 2% per year increase in district spending on education, a restructured Education Department, a plan by the Education Department to introduce activity-based teaching across the district, as well as improved enrolment, attendance, completion and achievement in schools, especially by girls
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