Survey on Status of Schools in Kacho Areas of Sindh
Government of Pakistan in 1975-76 initiated a school development program through financial and technical assistance from the United States Assistance for International Development (USAID). More than 150 schools in Kacho areas were established under this program by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. These schools were built, as a double storey (2 to 3 room) structure, closer to the community so that they were accessible. Since the schools were established in the remote Kacho areas spread over a region extending from Jacobabad to Indus Delta, the progress of these schools could not be monitored regularly. During April 2008, the Honorable Senior Minister for Education, GoS, directed the Sindh Education Foundation to conduct a survey in order to study the school status and identify non-functional schools so that a revitalizing strategy could be established for them.
SEF surveyed 119 schools in 7 districts namely Dadu, Ghotki, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Larkana, Naushero Feroz and Sukkur. The indicators for the survey were infrastructure, facilities (like drinking water and functional toilets), students’ enrollment, number of teachers and community characteristics. Out of the 119 schools, the study found 28 percent schools to be non-functional, most of them existing in the districts of Dadu and Sukkur while Larkana and Naushero Feroz have more than 80 percent functional schools. However, even the functional schools were found to have broken furniture, lack of electricity, unavailability of drinking water and dysfunctional toilets. Majority of the schools had water supply through hand pumps but this water is not suitable for drinking purposes due to high levels of arsenic. 12 percent of the schools where there was a provision of electricity lacked any electric appliances like bulbs and fans. In its present condition, the infrastructure of schools is dangerous for students and teachers due to unsafe roofs, unstable foundations, and broken doors and windows as it ensures no safety for students against severe weather conditions like heavy flooding. Despite these problems, the study reveals an average enrollment of 126 students and 2 to 3 teachers in each school that are functional. However, the ratio of boys is twice to that of girls, as communities are against co-education. The communities existing around the schools, though living in impoverished and destitute conditions, realize the importance of education and emphasized that the schools must be made functional with proper staffing and provision of facilities for school going children.
This survey concluded that a comprehensive situational analysis of these schools must be carried out for a detailed assessment in order to plan reform interventions for uplifting the functional status of these schools and providing quality education to marginalized communities. |
