The Fellowship Schools Program (FSP) distributed a package of Rs.30, 000/- to each of its partner schools. The objective of providing financial support to these schools is to facilitate Parent Education Committees in procuring ‘basic facilities’ for schools. Prior to this activity, a comprehensive study was conducted and it was discovered that a number of Fellowship Schools needed repair work, furniture, books, and other forms of support. The Fellowship Support Program team, in its evaluation of the schools, set forth a criterion for the distribution of an Institutional Package. The criterion contained various indicators of school success including: enrolment of students, Parent Education Committees performance (for three years), teachers’ performance and quality of education in schools.

The Institutional packages were distributed on June 8, June 11, and June 14, 2005. Mr. Mohammad Usman Chacher, District Coordinating Officer, Matiari District, Mr. Mehboob Sheikh, Additional Secretary, Academics & Training, and Mr. Sikandar Ali Shah, Executive District Officer (Education), Khairpur Mirs’, attended the distribution ceremonies held at Hyderabad, Karachi and Khairpur Mirs’ clusters respectively. A total amount of Rs.3 million was disbursed amongst 100 Fellowship Schools of the program.

The Fellowship Schools Program, supported by the Department of Education & Literacy, aims to provide and promote primary education for girls in remote areas of Sindh. The program is designed on self-reliance, and on promoting low-cost, high quality education within the target communities. Currently the program is operating in Karachi, Khairpur and Hyderabad districts.

During the past quarter, the Fellowship Schools Program (FSP), a community school model of the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), conducted refresher courses for 92 teachers. These trainings were held cluster-wise in Hala and Khairpur during the first week of April, 2005. The objective of these one-day trainings was to improve the quality of education imparted at the Fellowship Schools. During the training the teachers were provided trainings on teaching multigrade classrooms, teaching arts and crafts and conducting functions and assemblies.