QUALITY STANDARDS THAT REFLECT FROM PEP SCHOOLS

Allah Bux Mari school, khipro was opened by PEP in 2006.

This school stands strong even today in Allah Bux Mari Village. But how, that is worth discovering.

PEP targets communities that need work from scratch. The targeted communities are marginalized and they don't have any school running before PEP, nor any other programs.

When PEP builds a relationship with these communities, the thing that keeps PEP and the communities together is "Commitment", and a "Vision" to seek opportunities for a better future. This automatically builds a sense of accountability for each other.

Keeping the accountability in mind, a strategy is developed that is responsible for holding the PEP school sustainable. This strategy for PEP school is the contribution of community, teacher, and the School Management Committee (SMC).

While the SMC is responsible for the most part of the development work, it can only be achieved when the teacher and community are joined with the SMC.

One such example is,  SMC and teacher  together lead the  school in becoming self supporting. (i.e. to enable communities to pay their children's fee for sustaining the teacher's salary). The total fees that comes from all the students is 4600 rupees and the 2400 is contributed by the community.
 
The structure of the SMC involves 4 male members and 3 female members. The members include titles such as, Chairman (leader of the village), Treasurer, General Secretary,  and village members. The female members involve mobilizer from (WEG) and 2 village members.  

The teacher who plays the part of the General Secretary in SMC sets the agenda's for the meetings. On the other hand, the SMC is involved in decision making process and helping in the implementation of plans.

To demonstrate, here is clear example for the school of Allah Bux Mari,  "repairing of the school roof and walls 3 times each year". During the heavy rains season the roof and walls of the school hut got damaged by which the classroom material was effected as well as the attendance record.

​For this, the SMC came together where they decided to raise funds to get the roof and walls of school repaired. During a community program it was announced that funds were needed, to which the community members contributed materials for repairing, and the Landlord of the village helped the SMC to get the work done.

This happened the 2nd and the 3rd time to which the SMC was actively involved in getting repairing and mud fillings done for the school roof.  

This demonstrates the involvement of the teacher, community and the SMC together which creates a sense ownership in sustaining their school.

While this might be seen as an uncommon strategy to help marginalized communities become sustainable, the outcome however, is the community that really wants to seek change and empowerment, spring out through this strategy and become long lasting.

And, Allah Bux Mari school  has proved to have a lasting impact on children as well as the community through their accountability and ownership.