08 - Promising Change Six Case Studies On Whole School Development

8
Promising Change
Six Case Studies on Whole School Development
March 2008 Dr. Fareeha Zafar
City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan

This document is produced as part of the Strengthening Decentralised Local Government in Faisalabad (SDLGF)
Project for the purpose of disseminating lessons learnt from the project. The views are not necessarily those of DFID
or the City District Government Faisalabad
(c) SDLGF March 2008
Parts of this case study may be reproduced for educational use, provided that such material is not printed and sold.
The authors expect that, any material which is used will be acknowledged accordingly.
Printed by: FaizBakht Printers, The Mall, Jhang (Punjab) Pakistan.

VISION
“Pre-empting Poverty, Promoting Prosperity”
MISSION STATEMENT
“We will provide high quality services which compare with
the best in the country. We will work with everyone who wants
a better future for our District. We will establish an efficient,
effective and accountable District Local Government, which
is committed to respecting and upholding women, men and
children’s basic human rights, responsive towards people’s
needs, committed to poverty reduction and capable of
meeting the challenges of the 21st Century. Our actions will
be driven by the concerns of local people”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This case study is the culmination of efforts by a number of individuals from government and the technical
assistance team. Firstly it is important to thank all those who have cooperated with the team preparing this
case study not only in the last few weeks but over the course of the last four years. They have been critical to
the work and demonstrated what is possible to achieve in government when the right set of conditions prevail.
The author would like to thank the schools, head teachers, teachers and students who participated in the
discussions for their cooperation and particularly the students whose enthusiasm was extremely encouraging
and rewarding. The participation of community members, parents and school councils is also noteworthy.
The author wishes to thank Rana Zahid Tauseef, City District Nazim; Maj (Retd.) Azam Suleman Khan,
District Coordination Officer; and Dr. Tariq Sardar, EDO Finance & Planning for their valuable contribution
in making this project a huge success.
The author is also thankful to: Mr. Ch. Zahid Nazir, ex-District Nazim Faisalabad; Mr. Tahir Hussain, ex-
DCO Faisalabad and Mr. Athar Hussain Khan Sial, ex-DCO Faisalabad for their valuable contribution to the
success of this project.
The author is further thankful to all CDGF employees (past and present) and CDGF partner departments but
would like to specifically mention by name Mr. Mumtaz Hussain Shah, EDO Education, Mr. Ch. Zulfiqar
Ahmed, District Officer Secondary Education, Mr. Ashiq Ali, District Officer Elementary Education (male)
and Ms. Kishwar Naheed Rana, District Officer Elementary Education (female) for their efforts in
successfully implementing research and development reforms in the education department.
The author is also thankful to all DFID Project Advisers and Management that have assisted in this project
since its start and would like to specifically thank Mr. Mosharraf Zaidi, Governance Advisor, DFID Pakistan
and Mr. Wajahat Anwar, Deputy Program Manager, Accountability and Empowerment team, DFID Pakistan,
for their continuous support and professional technical guidance since their involvement in 2005.
The author is also thankful to Mehreen Hossain for proof reading the document and all the SPU team
members for their dedication, hard work and the many late hours spent designing, implementing and
documenting the work of this project. These include: Khatib Alam, Nadir Ehsan, Mahmood Akhtar, Imran
Yousafzai, Muhammad Shahid Alvi, Muhammad Tariq, Kashif Abbas, Ajaz Durrani, Farhan Yousaf,
Muntazir Mehdi, Gul Hafeez Khokhar, Mirza Muhammad Ramzan, Muhammad Sharif, Sumara Khan,
Humaira Khan, Saima Sharif. Mubarak Ali, Noor Muhammad Khan, Syed Sheraz Akhtar, all master trainers
at the Institute of Learning (IoL), especially Brigid Smith, Ms. Nuzhat Hanif, Saima Shakeela, Tauqueer
Anjum Rasool, Tahir Nadeem, Saima Khan and Shabir Basra for their assistance in identifying the schools for
the case studies which reflect their hard work and commitment. Thanks are also directed at Ms. Sara Zubair
and Mr. Haroon Hussain for their professional input in developing the case studies.
Promising Change Table of Contents
Six case studies on Whole school development
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ACRONYMS
INTRODUCTION 1
CASE STUDIES 7
1. AN EXCEPTIONAL TEACHER
Government Girls Primary School, 547 GB Union Council 94, Tandlianwala 5
2. A COMING TOGETHER OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Government Boys Primary School, Village 68 RB II, Union Council 25, Jaranwala 11
3. A SCHOOL IN TRANSITION
Government Girls Primary School, Bhatta Colony, UC 192, Faisalabad 17
4. A SCHOOL THAT'S HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Government Boys Primary School, RB 67 Union Council 37, Jaranwala 23
5. A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING

Government Boys Elementary School, Village 203 GB Union Council 106, Samundari 32
6. A VIBRANT TWO-TEACHER SCHOOL

Government Girls Primary School, Village 120 GB Union Council 3, Jaranwala 37
ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY 44
CONCLUSION 51
City District Government Faisalabad Page i

Strategic Policy Unit
Promising Change Acronyms & Glossary
ACRONYMS
AEO Assistant Education Officer
BA Bachelor of Arts
BEd Bachelor of Education
BSc Bachelor of Science
CT Certificate of Teaching
DoE Department of Education
DSD Directorate of Staff Development
EET Elementary English Teacher
EFA Education for All
ESE Elementary School Educator
EMIS Educational Management Information Systems
GES Government Boys Elementary School
GGES Government Girls Elementary School
GGHS Government Girls High School
GHS Government Boys High School
GTZ Gesellschaft Fur Technische Zusammenarbeit
IoL Institute of Learning
MA Master of Arts
MEd Master of Education
MSc Master of Science
PESRP Punjab Education Sector Reform Program
PMIU Project Management and Implementation Unit
PRSP Punjab Rural Support Programme
PTC Primary Teaching Certificate
SAHE Society for the Advancement of Education
SC School Council
SPU Strategic Policy Unit
UC Union Council
WSD Whole School Development
GLOSSARY
Chowkidar Guard
Imam Prayer leader
Katchi Nursery/Prep
Madrassah Religious school
Maktab Mosque school
Markaz Centre
Namaz Prayer
Pucca Brick and mortar
Quaida Nursery Textbook
Takhti Wooden slate
Taatt Jute cloth or plastic bags
City District Government Faisalabad Page ii

Promising Change Introduction
INTRODUCTION
A school is a microcosm of the education system as a whole and the impact of any policy or project is
played out within it. This publication is a compilation of six case studies on schools in Pakistan's
Faisalabad District. They highlight a variety of aspects of the school, for example pedagogy, the Head
Teacher, and community involvement. While they inform the reader of the situation within the
schools, their scope can be expanded to explore the field of education in general. Perspectives from
which they can be viewed include, but are not limited to, implications on future planning for
education and the feasibility of education-related projects; they also have relevance and utility in
courses on education, particularly international education, and teacher training.
The Case Study Method
A case study is defined as “an intensive study of a specific individual or specific context1” and uses a
combination of qualitative and quantitative methodology. It has been adopted most extensively in the
field of education for instructional purposes. Law and medical schools embraced it, but it was schools
of business that called attention to its advantages and utility the most. The Harvard Business School
goes so far as to claim, “We believe that the case method is by far the most powerful way to learn the
2
skills required to manage, and to lead .” Among its comparative advantages are the ability to develop
3
critical thinking, provision of “multi-perspectival analyses ” by the inclusion of a wider range of
voices, and allowing for a more holistic understanding of a situation or context.
Research studies in education invariably look at the impact of policies in isolation, and not in terms of
the cumulative effects as they filter down to the schools and students. Case study, as a research
method, allows for the intensive exploration of these influences at the level of the school, taking the
various players' perspectives into account. These narratives can then be unravelled further upon
analysis. The inability to generalise from a single case is often raised as a criticism of the method;
while each individual within a school, and each school, is no doubt different from the next,
generalisations about some aspects of schooling are certainly possible. The idiographic quality of the
generalisations is partly why the method has been accepted most by the social sciences and
humanities.
Context of the study
The Strategic Policy Unit (SPU) was set up by the Faisalabad district government in 2002, as a policy
think-tank. Its key aim was to act as a conduit in the district from which all development programmes
could be initiated. In 2004, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID)
agreed to provide technical assistance to the district using the SPU as the platform from which change
would be driven.
The SPU over a four year period has acted as a key resource fostering social capital within the city
government and often being the focal point for local and international technical assistance and
programme development. With a cohort of key technical resources and change management agenda
it plays a key role in facilitating public sector reforms and is replicable. It has been instrumental in
assisting Faisalabad become a modern administration.
The goal of the project entitled 'Strengthening Decentralised Local Government in Faisalabad
District Project' (SDLGF) is sustained poverty reduction through improved and more responsive
operation of local government and delivery of services, particularly education and water and
sanitation services to the poor. In the education sector, the District Council prioritised girls' education
and aimed to enhance community participation in education in order to improve access and quality.
City District Government Faisalabad Page 1

The District Council identified the following key needs to improve education in the district: (a)
strengthened management capacity and systems; (b) training of teachers and Head Teachers; (c)
encouragement of community participation in the management of schools; (d) development of
public-private partnerships in key areas; (e) expansion of adult literacy programmes throughout the
district; and (f) improved infrastructure and facilities.
Specific aims of the Education Component include:
l Improving educational management, monitoring and administration of elementary and

primary education
l Increasing school effectiveness, community involvement, teaching and learning
achievement, in elementary and primary schools
Aims of the Research Component were:
l Contributing to the body of research on the quality of education in the country especially
student performance on which there is very little data; such research would have important
implications for assessing the quality of education thereby informing policy decisions
l Serving to make the content of teacher education and training programs more relevant and
effective
l Developing standardized indicators and benchmarks for student performance
l Contributing towards developing an overall student assessment system methods, techniques
and tools
In Faisalabad District, the government's Strategic Policy Unit (SPU) set up the Institute of
Learning (IoL) with the specific aim of material development and teacher training. The
project followed the Whole School Development model for their training programme, the
main features of which are:
l Changing the school from the inside and outside

l Creating a child-friendly learning environment
l Giving ownership to the community and the learners
l Creating a well-managed learning institution
To this end the objectives of the training programme were to:
l Mobilize communities to take interest and support their school

l Help the Head teacher and community to work together to improve the school
l Train the Head Teacher and community member in Visioning and School Development
planning (SDP)
l Monitor the progress of training and the impact in the school
The pattern followed for the training began with a visit by the team to the school, Union Council and
community before training, including collection of school data. Five Head Teacher modules (listed in
the discussion chapter under 'School Management and Administration) and a six-day teacher training
was then given. The community members and Head Teachers trained together to produce the School
Development Plan. Resources provided for the school included a Rs.2000 grant for materials and
classroom improvement; Construction Fund for missing facilities with a 'Matching Grant' with 10%
community share for communities wanting to undertake small infrastructure improvements of up to
Rs.300,000; 'Big Books' and supplementary readers; and kits for Katchi, Science, Mathematics and
Language.

The evaluation and impact-assessment framework was research-based to provide an analysis of the
impact of initiatives and interventions taken under the project. The research component was thus
expected to:
l Provide feedback for trainings, professional development and management

l Track improvements/changes in the education system
l Train and use district teams for conducting the surveys, data analysis and report writing
l Use the SPU for tabulation of survey data that would link changes to the overall changes
resulting from the project
l Feed into the database created by the SPU, add to it, and also help to verify information
collected so far by the SPU and PMIU Punjab
l Link the research to development of a Professional Development Centre which would
become responsible for research
l Assist in monitoring and evaluation of project objectives
The research component included identifying areas for research and modalities for implementation.
As such the research activities were designed to pull together different strands of information, both
existing and those that would be collected through periodic surveys, follow-up of surveys and case
studies. This included both quantitative and qualitative research for a deeper understanding of the
existing situation and ground realities, and what could be proposed as possible interventions to the
district government. The main research areas identified included:
Quantitative Component: Learning Achievement Surveys with follow up studies as the most
important indicators of the effectiveness and quality of the educational system.
Qualitative Component: Case Studies of successful schools under the Whole School Development
program, as identified by the IoL, and an analysis of the reflective journals of teachers and Head
Teachers.
The research agenda thus aimed at providing inputs for the training component, capacity building of
the Department of Education (DoE) and the IoL in research-related activities. This publication is a
compilation of the six case studies that formed part of the qualitative research component. The cases
are followed by a discussion on some of the issues raised by the studies, with the aim of looking at
questions pertaining to education. The discussion attempts to expand the scope of the studies to
include general issues in education that arise irrespective of specific contexts.

Promising Change Methodology
METHODOLOGY
The IoL identified six 'successful schools' for case studies, in terms of their demonstration of different
components of the Whole School Development model. These schools were:
1. Government Girls Primary School, 547 GB Union Council 94, Tandlianwala

2. Government Girls Primary School, Village 120 GB Union Council 38, Jaranwala
3. Government Girls Primary School, Bhatta Colony, UC 192, Faisalabad
4. Government Boys Primary School, Village 68 RB II, Union Council 25, Jaranwala
5. Government Boys Primary School, RB 67 Union Council 37, Jaranwala
6. Government Boys Elementary School, Village 203 GB Union Council 106, Samundari
School-visits occurred between November and January 2007-08. The general pattern followed for
research was that the researcher and a member of IoL's team visited the school for three consecutive
days. The first day was primarily dedicated to classroom observation. Teachers were requested to
continue with their classes as they had planned for the day. It necessary to emphasise that it is very
difficult to observe an 'authentic' school day because the very presence of observers creates self-
consciousness, no matter how unobtrusive they try to be. The structure of a school day is particularly
hard to observe because sessions are generally re-ordered to accommodate the observation. Even so,
it is possible to determine how familiar teachers are with the subject matter, their conceptual clarity,
their ability to communicate it effectively, and the teaching methodology employed. Eventually the
continued presence of the researchers ceases to create a disturbance.
Wherever possible, enrolment and attendance data was also collected on the first day, and the Head
Teacher was requested to invite members of the community on either of the following days. The
second day was devoted to teacher interviews. In some instances, for example if a teacher was absent
on the first day, classroom observation continued on the second day as well. The third day included
focus group discussions with students of different classes, as well as a discussion with community
members, and the Assistant Education Officer (AEO) if possible. Photographs were taken whenever
possible over the three days.

Promising Change An Exceptional Teacher
1.0 AN EXCEPTIONAL TEACHER

Government Girls Primary School
547 GB Union Council 94
Tandlianwala
In a small far-off village in the south-western

corner of district Faisalabad, the girls' school in
Awagat village is singularly fortunate that its
two teachers come from an adjacent village a
few kilometres away. In most other schools,
teachers come from Samundari city about 40
kilometres away. For 20 years the school had no
building till in 1995 two classrooms and a
veranda were constructed based on the SAP
design for rural schools in Pakistan. It is only in
January this year that funds have been provided
by the project to construct the boundary wall
and latrines, as well as for levelling the ground
on which the school is situated. Fortunately a member of the school council had offered her house for
the school to function while construction was underway. The day of our visit coincided with the
return of students and teachers to their school though some work was still being done.
A contract teacher, Umme Kalsoom has been

teaching here since 2002. Her qualifications are
BA, BEd and CT. Vivacious, smart and very
well informed, she appears to be somewhat out
of place. The opportunity to study and work for
a short period in a private school in Samundari
has had a lasting impact before marriage to a
cousin the norm in the area brought her back to
the village. Shahnaz Akhtar, the head teacher, a
Matric with PTC qualification is also local. She
has been with the school since 1997. Although
less forthcoming, she is nevertheless cognizant
of her colleague's outstanding management and
teaching style.
Impact of training
“I would never have been able to teach the way I

do had it not been for the six months I taught in
the private school. The owner cum principal
would train us regularly during the school break.
He taught us English with Urdu as part of
language teaching, new teaching methods and
we made teaching-learning materials. He also
trained us in how to monitor classes,” said
Kulsoom. She brought out the cards she had
made from paper cartons and was using with
students before the teaching kits were provided
by the Whole School Development program in

November 2007. She acknowledged the

additional information and activity-based
teaching methods she learnt during the
trainings conducted under the project during
2005 and had exhibited her work in the
conference organized by SPU in Faisalabad in
2006. Teaching had become much easier with
the provision of science and math kits.
Understanding perspective and reflection is
possible only by demonstration, which
Kulsoom said was now possible. She not only
explains the process to the students but also
checks their individual work, measuring and
straightening pins accurately on the wooden board. Questioning ensures that students understand the
concept behind the activity.
Kulsoom's enjoyment of teaching transferred

itself to the students who are actively involved
in the learning process. Her enthusiasm and
pleasant manner attracts them to her vying with
one another to show their exercise books and
slates full of work. The small number of
students in most grades allows her to give
individual attention. However, as she is
required to teach English to all classes, is in
complete charge of Classes II and V and also
manages and teaches Katchi and Class I, she is
on her feet all day. Students of Class V assist her
regularly in organizing and checking the work
of the junior classes. This does mean that not all their lessons can be completed in the given time.
Kulsoom also invites the four senior classes to

her classroom to introduce a common topic to
them. Her method of multi-grade teaching is
very interesting. For example, to teach different
sounds she tapped on the table, asked students
to knock on the door and used the ring-tones of
her mobile phone. She repeated the lesson a
number of times and also read it aloud from the
textbook. She also questioned the students on
which sounds they found pleasant and those
that were jarring. She then gave students of
each class work to do on their own.
In one corner of the classroom a plastic bottle can be seen hanging from the window sill. It is filled
with water and a plastic pipe carries the water to a tray placed on the floor below. The students said
this was the water cycle and then proceeded to draw it on the blackboard in more detail when asked to
explain how it worked. Demonstration had helped to clear their concepts, they were happy to answer
questions and eager to absorb any new information given to them. It is no wonder that science is their
favourite subject, unlike what most students of government schools express in general.

Class V girls were less informed about the digestive system even though they had studied it some
time back. Math posed more of a problem. They were clear about simple fractions but less articulate
about more complex algebraic and geometrical concepts such as brackets, angles, direction, etc.
However, they had a very positive attitude towards asking questions without any hesitation and were
generally relaxed and happy.
Their knowledge of the local environment was quite impressive. This was the season when the
sugarcane was being cut and they knew the locations of the factories where it was being taken. They
were not happy with the fact that the previous year no examinations were conducted at the end of
Class V and all students were promoted to the next grade. They were concerned that the same may
happen in their case.
Speaking and writing in English a compulsory

subject at the primary level was found to be
rudimentary. Though students of Class IV and
V had some English vocabulary they were
unable to make sentences and their writing was
quite poor. Students in the junior classes were
confused about English and even Urdu to some
extent and only responded when questioned in
the local/regional language Punjabi.
Kulsoom has given responsibility of

distributing the materials to the younger
children to the older girls. It is rare to see
schools using teaching-learning materials
provided to them without fear of their being
misused or of the dreaded departmental 'audit'.
Although the children were sitting on plastic
bags used for packing on the veranda floor and
the bare ground, they were careful in their
handling of the pictures and cards. At the end of
the day the flash cards, beads and threads were
again collected by the older students and placed
in the appropriate pockets of the pocket board
hanging on the classroom wall; an admirable
example of cooperative learning. An added
benefit is the confidence among the older students who were engaged in these tasks without being
told what to do.
Another strategy unique to this school was the

division of the Katchi class that had the largest
number of children into two sections: the
youngest and least experienced children, and
those who could be left for short periods to
work on their own and according to Kulsoom
“had some understanding”. Children were
happily threading beads, matching pictures of
birds and animals while Class I students were
sorting Urdu and English alphabets and
matching with the appropriate pictures. All the
students were working in groups. From time to

time Kulsoom would gather them near the wall

charts and teach them new sounds and words in
Urdu and English. She remarked that “the
materials have given children the opportunity
to learn on their own and from one another
without the authoritative figure of the teacher
hovering over them and is more conducive to
learning.”
Once the teacher had explained the new topic to

a class or in a multi-grade combined class,
further learning took place in groups. The
group size ranged from four to five and junior
and senior primary classes formed groups without any instructions. The interaction within the groups
was lively and the learning from each other could be observed in action. That different classes also
combined in performing role plays and other activities was eagerly demonstrated by the students.
They showed different types of movement by swinging the smaller children, shutting the door and
pushing the chair. It appeared that all concepts were taught through demonstration and experiments.
The Head Teacher
As head teacher, Shahnaz Akhtar is responsible for reporting to the centre school for the Union
Council from time to time. She only teaches classes two and three and some of the activities such as
role play have been introduced in her classroom by Kulsoom. Experimentation and demonstration
play a major role in teaching science and as Shahnaz stated, “the children enjoy working with their
hands”.
Of the few boys in the school, two also study in class three and Shahnaz asked the girl and boy
students to demonstrate how holes could be burnt in pieces of paper with a candle and if the holes
were aligned in a straight line the flame of the candle can be seen through them. The candle was then
lit and placed in a basin with water in it and a glass put on top of it. When the candle was extinguished
the students said it was lack of oxygen. To a lesser extent drawing is also encouraged and students had
labelled the human body and were attempting to draw experiments, flowers and animals in their
exercise books.
The classroom environment
With the school undergoing some construction

work it was not possible to see the classrooms
as they would appear once the workers had left.
However, the difference in Kulsoom's
classroom and that of the head teacher was
apparent even though both had damp walls that
required some cementing. Kulsoom had put up
charts made earlier and also hung the new
materials received recently. In the veranda
outside she had put up the alphabet and number
charts and was using the math, science and
language kits. Some charts related to responsibilities of the school, composition of the school
council and religious poems. Others had information for students. The bare walls and few teaching
material visible in the Head Teacher's classroom reflected her lack of interest. All the kits are stored in
the classroom where Kulsoom taught. It is clear that effectively she manages the school.

The only furniture in the school is two chairs and a table for the teacher in each classroom. One chair
was broken. All schoolchildren from Katchi to Class V sit and work on the floor. The typical sight in
most rural government schools is of children balancing their thin exercise books on their knees
attempting to write.
Lack of human resources is made up by the

cooperative attitude of the two teachers who
have a good working relationship. The children
move around freely, they play in the school
compound or go home during the school break.
The teacher-student relationship is extremely
friendly as shown by the fact that when the
students decided to perform a short play for us
they requested their teachers to go out of the
classroom. The students also said that the
teachers would read out stories to them and they
especially enjoyed the ones in English.
There is pressure on the two teachers to get the students to complete their homework in school as
there is no one at home who can help them.
Impact of the community
Kulsoom's commitment to the school and

children is exceptional as she herself is from an
influential, rich family. The village comprises
two to three large landlords while the majority
of the people are poor landless tenants or
owners of small subsistence farms, barely able
to manage a living. “The people here are not
interested in educating their children” said
Safia Faraz, the lone active member of the
School Council. She belonged to the previous
school council; new members would be invited
once the construction work was complete. The
community's lack of interest or poverty is
reflected in the small amount collected for receiving the grant from SPU. It was sufficient only for
repairs while the need was an additional classroom. The need for a third teacher was also expressed
so that there could be at least one teacher for two classes to properly implement the activity-based
teaching methodology.
According to government stipulation, children are expected to enter school at age four and complete
the primary cycle by the time they reach the age of nine. However, in most rural areas and especially
in small communities, children of different ages are found in the same class. In the Awagat school,
girls aged nine and twelve were in the same class. Except for the Katchi class where children
appeared to be four or five years old, they were definitely overage in the other classes. Neither
students nor the teachers seemed concerned about how old a student should be in a particular class,
nor were they aware of their actual age. This could be the result of the government policy to increase
enrolment and possibly the reason why teachers showed enrolment and attendance to be the same in
the registers. This procedure had been communicated to them at the centre school.

It was evident that not all children were present in school. The previous day it had been raining, it was
also very cold and having to sit on the bare floor without shoes and insufficient clothing was
sufficient reason for 25 percent children being absent in the Katchi class. Safia was of the view that
“with an improvement in teaching and provision of materials, more children were beginning to come
to school”. She herself is illiterate but keen to see the girls of the community get an education. She
identified the large family size especially number of children about eight to ten per family as
promoting higher absenteeism among the older girls who were required to help at home while their
mothers work in the fields. The influence of the Tableeghi Jamaat (religious organization) of the area
also led parents to send their children intermittently to the local madrassah and the school.
Class/Grade Enrolment
February 2006 February 2008
Katchi 36 38
Class I 17 8
Class II 17 12
Class III 5 9
Class IV 1 11
Class V 1 9
Total 77 87
At present the nearest private school is in the next village and there is a regular movement of students
between it and this school. For girls there is no middle school in the vicinity. Only those households
who have members of their extended family residing in the nearest town about 20 kilometres away
where there is a Girls High School can avail this opportunity, if they choose to. Both teachers and
students want education beyond primary to become available. The teachers were proud that last year
the entire Class V could continue their studies in the nearby town. They encourage girls and their
families to let them study further but poverty is a hurdle and neglect of children by the family a
serious issue.

Promising Change A coming together of School and Community
2. 0 A COMING TOGETHER OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Government Boys Primary School
Village 68 RB II, Union Council 25, Jaranwala
The success of the school is essentially

engrained in the collective efforts of a vibrant,
active community which is working in
collaboration with the school staff, especially
the head teacher. It provides the school staff
with every possible help, which ranges from
finances to provision of a house for the head
teacher. In short the community acts as an
enabling context for the school, in which
teaching-learning practices and school
development occurs, laying the foundation and
a vision for the generations to come. In order to
make this happen the community provides
different kind of support to the teaching staff, like financial donations, moral support and even human
resources in the form of a school council. It is this context which requires further inquiry. The probing
may yield general guidelines for instituting successful schools and specifically it can give strategies
for enabling thriving community participation.
Leading by doing
In this locality, the community has made

immense contributions to the school. The
school was established in 1970. Since that time
the community has given various kinds of
support to the institution. To begin with, the
community donated a hand pump to the school.
The head teacher says, “One day while talking
to a group of villagers, I expressed a wish that
the school had a hand pump so that children do
not have to go outside to drink water. After
some days the same group came to the school
and donated enough money to install a hand
pump”. This kind of responsiveness on the part
of the community towards the school is unique. In a context where generally communities even
damage and appropriate public property rather than assisting in its development, such attitudes are
unusual. Another instance of such responsiveness was again displayed when, the head teacher was
complaining to a villager regarding the absence of a main gate. The villager at once donated the
wooden planks, which now make up the school main gate. Here it is important to mention that the
villager had saved these wooden planks to make a donkey cart for agricultural usage. This gives a
clear message that the community gives prime importance to the school as well as education. Even
individual needs were sacrificed for the sake of the school. This is sheer commitment and motivation
on the part of the community.
During a focus group discussion the community members were asked why they were so mindful of
the school, unlike other communities. They replied confidently that this school has produced so many
successful students in the past, from which they have all benefited. It is their duty to take good care of
it in return. This is done by having regular meetings with teachers, listening to their problems and by

trying to solve these collectively. The school is

the only available institution in area for their
children's education and all their future hopes
are attached to it. Thus they take good care of it
and treat it as a common property towards
which every villager has a duty to perform.
They further added that it is not only the
institution but also the head teacher who is
esteemed by the community. He is given a place
of high status by all, young and old alike. They
have even provided the head teacher with a
residence in the village. He used to travel a long
distance to reach the school. The villagers got
together and decided to provide him with the facility at no cost so that he can concentrate on
educating their young ones.
When the head teacher was asked about community participation, he said the people are very
encouraging and cherish him. According to him a good community-school relationship is always a
two-way process. The community can not keep on pumping resources in the school if the head
teacher and teachers do not respond to their expectations and vice versa. The head teacher ensures
that all teachers and he do not lose reverence in the eyes of the community; this is done by always
demonstrating appropriate behavior. In this way the community-school relationship becomes one of
mutual respect and responsiveness; thereby gelling the two together with identical priorities and a
shared course of action for all activities of mutual interest.
After the training, in which both head teacher

and one nominated community member
participated, the partnership has matured even
further. Soon afterwards the community,
mobilized by trainers as well as trained
participants, collected twenty percent of the
total cost for reconstruction of the school
building.
The program has successfully recognized the

importance of community participation by
incorporating one school council member into
their trainings, to enable active participation of
the institution, especially as a community
member now heads the school council instead
of the head teacher. As things stand now, the old
building has been demolished to give way to a
new structure. Under these circumstances the
place looks like a ground, planted at irregular
intervals with eucalyptus trees. Construction
debris is lying in one corner and piles of bricks
at a couple of points.
Instead of boundary wall, a hedge of thatched

reed encircles the premises with a reasonably
large painted main gate made out of wood and iron. In the centre is a pedestal like concrete structure
about two feet high. This is used as a table by the teachers. In all, six classes sit in the ground. The

4
students have no chairs or tables. They sit on taatts , which is a mockery of the claims of the
government that all taatts have been replaced by furniture in state-run schools. In front of some
classes are black or white boards. The teachers however have chairs to sit on. They usually place the
chairs in front of their respective classes, just beside the boards. Soon there will be a proper building
for the school, thanks to active community participation and successful training. The community
members are playing a dynamic part in the construction of the building as well, and ensuring that the
building material is not substandard.
Teaming up for quality
There are a total of three teachers for six classes

so every teacher has to take two classes
simultaneously. The head teacher teaches
Katchi (equivalent to Prep. Or Nursery) and
Class III. The other two teachers take Classes I,
II, IV and V respectively. The head teacher
manages his team well and there exists a strong
working relationship among teachers. A good
example for this is provided by the division of
work among the team members. The head
teacher makes sure that he remains in the school
at all times except when he is called by the
department or is away for training. The other
teacher, who happens to be a childhood friend of the head teacher, is assigned with the duties of
teaching as well as moving around in the locality for different school-related tasks. These tasks
include prompt delivery of department's official documents to all schools in the markaz5; going to the
education department for maintaining liaison and other such tasks. His friend's appointment is not a
coincidence but by clever design of the head teacher in a bid to build a strong team for the school. One
of the prominent community members also facilitated his appointment by persuading education
officials. This appointment strengthened the head teacher in building a robust team of teachers. The
third teacher is also assigned with multiple tasks in the school, besides teaching.
A marked attitudinal difference after receiving training is that the teachers do not treat their work as a
'duty' for which they are remunerated, but as a contribution towards development of youth. They take
6
it as a kind of khidmat . This subjective difference of perception plays a very important role in
shaping the behavior of teachers. They say and think it is this perception which makes them work
harder in the right direction. For them, their work no longer remains a mechanical activity and
transcends into a more meaningful soul-satisfying experience. Nonetheless, the chain of cumulative
social impacts does not stop here. The community strives for the same, which explains all the
contributions made by it. One example was narrated by teachers during field work: the head teacher,
during his fund collection drive for the reconstruction of the school building, went to a house where
the residents refused to give funds and misbehaved with the head teacher. The incident was
popularized by gossip and soon peer pressure started building on the said family. Ultimately, they
yielded to this mounting pressure, apologized to the head teacher and contributed to the fund.
This kind of subjectivity is absent from the mainstream state policy for community participation. Its
emphasis lies in instituting community participation artificially without giving it any latent meanings
of contextual sensitivity as such. The emphasis has remained on 'duty' rather than khidmat.

Learning is taking place
As one of the teacher's said, “during the days of

'duty', we used to teach directly from the text
books, encouraging students to learn every
thing by heart. We used to avoid concepts
because we did not know any other method of
teaching nor did we have the motivation to
innovate. Once oriented with the concept of
'commitment', we changed drastically. Now we
plan lessons, perform activities around lessons,
explain concepts and so on. For doing all this,
the training has been very helpful.” Students
acknowledge the same and mention that
teachers used to even beat them in past years but
now they have stopped doing so, barring a few examples. Students now take more interest in the
school because it is a place of playful activities and learning new concepts.
The teachers were observed doing activities with classes. One teacher was busy in showing children
how to write on the ground. This teacher was teaching Katchi students and was teaching them to
recognize and write letter of the Urdu alphabet. First of all he wrote one alphabet on the white board
7
and told students that it is Jeem . He asked the class to name a few objects which start with the letter.
The children called out different words, some of which were correct and some wrong. The teacher
accepted the right ones and wrote these on white board. He used encouraging words throughout the
process. He used to call students by name if their attention was diverted at any moment. Upon hearing
his name the respective child would start paying attention. The teacher named a few objects which
started with jeem. One of the children said, 'jail' also begins with jeem. The teacher agreed with him
and then the same child started explaining who goes to jail. The teacher listened carefully. Another
child joined the conversation and said that people who go to jail are severely beaten up by the police.
The teacher added that students should not do any immoral act because going to jail is never a good
thing. Then the teacher told the class to write the alphabet on ground with their fore fingers. The
students started writing and teacher sat down and helped those who could not do so.
Other students were engrossed in writing on the

board during an interactive session. The teacher
was explaining to the children, how shadows
are produced. He drew a diagram on the white
board, of a torch on one side and a ball on the
other. By changing the position of the torch he
explained how shadows are made. He also
elaborated that shadows can be shorter and
longer depending upon the placement of the
source of light. If the source of light is at right
angles to the object, no shadow shall be
produced. As the source moves away from the
right angle, the shadow will start appearing on the other side of the object, and will grow in size as the
source moves towards the horizontal plane. He explained this concept with the help of diagrams on
the white board. Once the students had grasped the idea, he invited them to draw its diagram on the
white board, which students were quite happy to do. After a number of students had drawn the
diagram, he asked the class to draw this diagram in their note books as home work.

This approach towards teaching and learning has decreased the gap between teachers and students.
The teachers are comparatively friendlier towards students; hence students do not hesitate to express
their opinions and increasing the probabilities of better learning. During classroom observations this
was evident. At one instance when a student gave a wrong answer to one of the questions asked by the
teacher, the rest of the class laughed. The teacher told everybody not to laugh and engaged the student
in a conversation leading him to the right answer. The teachers were also observed using encouraging
words and expressions throughout the lectures directed towards students. This technique is used to
encourage students to learn.
All the above cited teaching techniques are positive non-standard practices as far as state run schools
are concerned. In these schools teachers usually do not go for such activity-based learning and
friendly attitudes: the norm comprises corporal punishment, learning by rote, and a lack of
conceptual clarity among teachers as well as students. The teachers at this school relate the topic to be
discussed with the previous lesson taught. They summarize the previous lesson and connect this
summary with the next lesson, hence making the experience a totality of concepts. At the end of the
lesson teachers narrate a short synopsis of the lesson to be taught on the next day. This is done to
maintain student interest in the class based activities.
These are exceptional teachers. The head teacher is BA., BEd., with 15 years of teaching experience.
He resides locally as the community has provided him with residence in the village. The other teacher,
who happens to be the head teacher's childhood friend and whose appointment in this school is by
design, as explained earlier, is also BA., BEd., with 15 years experience. He lives two kilometers
away from the village and it usually takes two minutes to reach the school on his motorcycle. The
third teacher has an MA (Islamic Studies), BEd., and lives five kilometers away from the school. He
owns a bicycle and it takes him forty-five minutes to ride to school. This team of teachers is well
connected and can be considered as 'local'. None of the teachers has to travel a long way, which is very
positive in the sense that they are more attached to the school. Also, these are highly qualified
teachers when compared to other state schools, where usually Matric PTC teachers or at the most FA
teachers are teaching. In this school all the teacher are BA., BEd., and one of them is even a master's
degree holder.
Name Classes Subjects Academic Professional Years
Taught Qualification Qualification Teaching
Amjad Ali Nursery & 4 All BSc, MA BEd 15
Saeed Ali Shah 2&3 All BA BEd 15
Muhammad Naeem 1&5 All MA BEd 6
All these factors contribute towards better teaching and learning at the school, leading to its
outstanding performance. It also shows that local, well educated teachers are the need of the hour.
Such teachers can make better use of trainings, as is the case in this particular instance.
The Assistant Education Officer (AEO), during

his interview, shared the opinion that the
school's success is due to efforts made by
teachers. He said that the teachers make sure
that they arrive at the school on time, they take
an interest in the trainings and training materials,
they apply new teaching methodologies in the
classroom, therefore they are the ones who
make it all happen. He did seem, however, a bit
out of touch with ground realities, as the rest of
the data portrays. The enrolment in the school
has remained steady over the years. All the

people of the village prefer to enroll their children and grand children in this school. The rich and the
poor all follow this trend. The biggest landowner's grandson as well as the head teacher's own son
study in this very institution. The landowner can easily afford to send his grandson to the city to any
private school for better educational facilities. His choice of this school means there is a confidence
that quality education is being provided by the institution.
Overall, usually rich people do not send their children to government schools because relatively well-
off people do not consider these to be quality institutions. In 2005, the number of students enrolled in
the school was 97, now there are 99 enrolled students. For a relatively smaller community like this
one, it is rather a good enrolment record. The head teacher said that dropout in the school occurs only
when a family moves from the village. Otherwise there is no chance of any dropout because when a
child is not coming to the school, the teachers discusses it with him and reasons for the absence of the
child are sought from his parents. In this way, dropout is checked and regularly monitored
Class Enrolment Attendance Drop-out

Nov. 05 Nov. 07 Nov. 05 Nov. 07 Nov. 05 Nov. 07
Nursery/Katchi 13 22 13 20 0 0
Grade 1 14 17 14 15 0 4
Grade 2 24 12 21 11 0 0
Grade 3 15 21 13 19 0 2
Grade 4 19 17 19 15 1 2
Grade 5 12 10 11 9 1 0
Total 97 99 91 89 2 8

Promising Change A School in Transition
3.0 A SCHOOL IN TRANSITION

Bhatta Colony, UC 192
Faisalabad
Driving down the crowded Sargodha Road,

there is an inconspicuous turn-off into a narrow
street, barely wide enough for a single vehicle.
It is through a rusted gate a short way down this
street that we enter the Government Girls
Primary School, Bhatta Colony, UC 192,
Faisalabad. Established in 1978, it currently has
six teachers and 140 students. The school caters
to an extremely poor community where most of
the girls' parents are labourers, factory-workers
or street vendors. The fact that many of the
students were not wearing warm clothes or
socks despite the cold December weather is evidence of this. Nevertheless, the school gives hope to
all those who teach and study there, as well as to the members of the community.
Both teachers and students are aware that they are dealing with change at many levels. On one hand
their former Head Teacher, who did a lot for the school and of whom they were all extremely fond,
was promoted and transferred to a Middle School just two months ago in October 2007. On the other,
two new 'contract' teachers have been hired, which means each class now has its own teacher, and a
brand new school building is nearing completion. A new School Council (SC) has also been formed.
There is an air of nostalgic reminiscence coupled with the anticipation of what lies ahead. What is
crucial at this juncture is that the effort and struggles of the past, specifically in terms of teaching and
learning, are not lost as they step into the future.
Inside the school compound: changes in infrastructure
Classes are held as they have been for many

years in the three available rooms, the veranda
and outdoors; there are piles of sand and bricks
and extensive construction underway in the
compound. Construction workers use the
existing classrooms to store cement and other
building materials, and wander in and out as
required; they make their tea on a stove at the
back of the room where Katchi (Nursery) and
Class I are seated. Yet neither teachers nor
students seem in the least perturbed by these
disruptions. What they did complain about was
having to lock up their teaching materials in
case they get spoiled or misplaced in this confusion. Due to the construction work the lavatory is dug
up and rendered unusable: a house close to the school has allowed the use of its toilet till new ones are
constructed.
Every Friday when the workers leave early, some of the teachers go to inspect the work. They are
excited by the number and size of the rooms and are already planning to covert one of the current
classrooms into an office. Through the Public-Private Initiative, Al-Rashid Textile Mills, whose

factory is located close by, is the donor for the new building. They are taking an active interest in the
progress of the school, not only in terms of infrastructure development but also how the facilities will
improve overall welfare of the people.
The manager of the factory, Chaudhry M. Saeed,

met teachers and community members and
provided suggestions on how to utilise the
facilities provided. He said they were building a
hall, a stage, and grassy areas to allow for
extracurricular activities, and wanted there to
be scholarships for exceptional students. He felt
there should be an emphasis on English
education and offered to provide a computer if a
teacher was trained to use it for teaching. A
sweeper and gas connection has already been
provided by the donor. This investment and
interest is greeted with enthusiasm by the
teachers of the school. “We cannot believe our good fortune,” remarked Sughra and Rubina, the
teachers for Katchi and Class III.
There is a similar sense among the other

teachers, as well as the relief that the new
building will mean they no longer have to teach
two classes in one room. Currently, Katchi and
Class I share a room, as do Classes II and III.
Class IV sat in the veranda outside the room
used by Class V. There is a 'blackboard' painted
on a wall outside. The problems that arise out of
shared rooms are obvious: use of the
blackboard, noise levels, and student
distraction are only a few, all of which were
observed during our visit. Despite this, the
move away from traditional teaching and
learning methods is apparent at many levels.
Inside the classrooms: the learning environment
Unlike the usual classroom arrangement in rows, benches and tables for Katchi and Class I were
placed in a 'U' shape around the room, allowing students to interact with their own class-fellows and
teachers to walk easily to each child. Similarly, Classes II and III were also arranged so that group
work among students is facilitated and there is less interference between the two separate classes.
Class IV sat in groups on mats in the veranda. Each classroom displayed wall-charts and posters of
the students' work however none of these appeared to be put up recently. Timetables on class notice-
boards also seemed to be outdated. A likely reason could be the imminent shift to the new building.
All teachers used the blackboard frequently, often drawing diagrams related to course content;
students were also called to write or draw on the board, which they enjoyed doing.
It was interesting to observe the differences between the four 'senior' teachers and the two new
teachers. None of the students in any class showed any sign of fear of punishment or serious
reprimand from their teachers; however the two newer teachers did not mingle with students as easily
as the 'senior' teachers. They called students to their desk to check their work, and used a sterner tone,
whereas the 'senior' teachers were friendlier and went from student to student, even sitting with them

to give individual attention. This difference was most apparent in terms of the teaching methodology
being employed.
Sughra, the teacher for Katchi, shared the room with Sadia, the teacher for Class I. Sughra has been
with this school for seven years, and has recently received teacher training. She has 22 years of
8
teaching experience at various levels and has a Matric PTC qualification. “Out of all the schools I
have taught in,” said Sughra, “the most learning happens in this one.” Sadia has been at this school for
two months, has a BA/B.Ed and about three years' teaching experience mostly at private schools.
Sadia's approach leaned towards the traditional, in terms of more emphasis on memorisation where
as Sughra's was far more interactive.
Questions that Sughra posed to her class were

often related to the students' own lives and
experiences, and the Nursery students seemed
very eager to participate. While this did mean
that noise levels were occasionally deafening,
students' responses were rarely chanted in
unison and they remained fully engaged. Sadia's
side of the room seemed more restrained in
comparison, and the focus appeared to be on
individual work, despite the group arrangement.
When asked how she found the experience of
teaching here, she said “I feel it is a service.
These children need education, and my reward
will be if I succeed in making them do well in their exams.” Her concern for weaker students was
evident, yet her emphasis was on learning achievement in terms of “scoring marks”.
A similar scenario was visible in the room shared by Classes II and III. Rubina teaches Class III and
has been with the school for seven years. She has an FA PTC, many years of teaching experience and
has received SPU's teacher training. Fozia joined the school at the same time as Sadia, and has
completed her BA, Part I. She too has previously taught in a private school. Rubina was most at ease
with activity-based teaching methodology out of all the teachers observed in the school. Fozia was
the most traditional in her teaching style, asking students to repeat certain words without providing an
explanation and placing much emphasis on how singular and plural words should be written on a
page9 rather than what they mean. The contrast in their interaction with students, as well as general
demeanour was striking.

Of the lessons observed for Rubina's class, one

was a revision lesson on 'parts of a flower',
where she drew and labelled a diagram on the
board and pointed out the parts on an actual
flower to reinforce the information. In another
science lesson she called on students to draw on
the blackboard and maintained an atmosphere
of discussion as opposed to lecture. In a lesson
on fractions, she demonstrated the concept by
folding a sheet of paper into halves, thirds,
quarters and eighths, following this by asking
individual students to do the same. In each case,
the students were comfortable with the
methodology, indicating that this approach was used frequently with them. They were also very
confident and unafraid of asking questions and requesting clarification.
Rubina said that the way students responded to changes in her teaching style and the improvement in
their learning motivated her to use these techniques more often. While the preparation time for such
lessons was greater, the results were far more rewarding. “I can see the difference between how I
teach now and how I used to teach, and I don't want to revert to that,” she remarked. Out of her class of
15 students, she was most concerned about three who were showing few signs of improvement: “It
could be that they have family or household problems, but it is very frustrating for me because I just
don't know how to get them interested.” She said she shared the learning materials she had made with
Fozia and encouraged her to use them, which she did on occasion.
Shehnaz, who teaches Class V, has been with the school for seven years and has recently received
training. In the lessons observed, she demonstrated examples of physical and chemical reactions as
she explained the concept; she called on students.to draw and write on the blackboard but chose to do
the experiments for them herself. She made good use of the materials at hand, like melting candle-
wax to show a physical reaction and burning a piece of paper to demonstrate a chemical reaction. The
change in teaching style, however, was one that she was conscious of and somewhat hesitant about.
She expressed a keenness to attend more training sessions because she felt the students learned more
with activities, and could retain it better.
The school's new Head Teacher and teacher for
Class IV is Sameena. She has been with the
school for almost two years and has 28 years of
teaching experience. In conversation, she
immediately acknowledges the work done for
the school by the previous Head Teacher, and
says she too has many plans for the future. She
has received teacher training and implements
what she has learned in her classes. “We all
work together as a team here, and we all want
the best for the school,” she said. Yet there
seems to be a distance between her and the rest
of the teachers. In terms of building confidence
and camaraderie between herself and her colleagues, there is still a way to go.
Perhaps she is aware that the position she has stepped into is one where a very high standard has been
set and is uncomfortable with the comparison. Yet the one thing that brought a smile to her face is the
“good fortune” that has befallen the school in the form of new teachers and the new building. “I
cannot express how much I am looking forward to its completion!” she said with a laugh.

All the teachers spoke well of each other, even

though some acknowledged that the change in
leadership required them to make adjustments.
There were nostalgic references to how the
previous Head Teacher often visited their
classes and enjoyed discussions over cups of
tea. At the same time, there was an awareness
that they had to work together to regenerate
previous levels of motivation and their former
willingness to adopt changes in pedagogy. “We
understand each other's problems and
constraints and help one another to share the
load; we all understand our responsibilities,” asserted Sughra.
Students: the ultimate measure of success
Girls from all five classes at GGPS, Bhatta
Colony, were extremely confident and proud to
show what they had learnt. Katchi students
happily read out the Urdu alphabet and a poem,
while Class I students showed off their
knowledge of numbers. Class II was equally
enthusiastic, and said they enjoyed it when their
teachers told them stories. One little girl, unable
to contain her excitement, began to tell the story
of a mischievous monkey; that it was partly in
Punjabi shows that there is not only recall but
also comprehension. One of the students said
that the former Head Teacher would discuss
stories differently with them as compared to their new teacher. Class III students said they loved the
games they played in their classes and enjoyed all subjects because they didn't “feel like lessons”.
Their recall of earlier lessons was remarkable, even when questions were phrased differently.
Of all the classes, Class IV was the keenest to show their work and knowledge. Each student read out
a poem or prose from her text book or exercise book. One girl, while reading out her notes on climate
and its impact, interrupted her reading: “Our teacher explained that roofs are sloping in places that
receive snowfall, so that snow does not accumulate,” she explained, holding her book as an inverted
'V' to further emphasise her point. Many said that science was the subject they found most difficult.
English was the subject they wanted to learn, despite the fact that they found it difficult. When asked
why, one girl responded, “so that we can appear educated.”

Class V was also eager to demonstrate what they knew, showing educational games that they play, as
well as acting out one of their Urdu poems. They all claimed to enjoy Science, despite its difficult
questions, and felt Mathematics was much more difficult because it has “barrey barrey sawaal”.
English was the least favourite subject for many. They said they enjoy attending school because
learning is fun, and they want to “become something” when they grow up the list included doctors,
engineers and teachers. “We don't take days off from school any more because we enjoy ourselves so
much here,” said one student.
Community members are happy with the

progress of the school. One said, “When I was a
student in this school, the teachers' attitude was
very different. Now my niece studies here and I
often visit the school. I see children playing
games and doing different activities, and it
makes me want to join the school as a student
again.” Another commented that the school
started to change for the better when the
previous Head Teacher joined, and has
continued to improve even after she left,
because everyone has been influenced by her. A
parent added, “I am an uneducated woman and initially was not interested in my children's studies;
now I am because the teachers have involved us and advised us to do so.”
Clearly learning is taking place at this school,

and there is a desire to improve further in both
teachers and students. At the same time, there is
a chance that teachers may revert to traditional
pedagogy and attitudes in the absence of a Head
Teacher with as much drive and initiative as the
previous one. The new Head Teacher can lead
the school but only if she overcomes her own
hesitation to do so. The changes in
infrastructure can help alleviate some of the
problems faced by the school, and can be
utilised to improve teaching and learning,
however, the onus lies on the teachers and their
willingness to change.
This means working as a team with their current

Head Teacher, and involving and guiding the
new teachers so that they too may benefit from
changes in methodology and attitude. The
ultimate gauge of the success of a school is its
students. In GGPS, Bhatta Colony, students are
eager to learn and proud of what they know.
They are happy to come to school, willing to
adapt to changes, and full of confidence. It is
imperative that the momentum is not lost, and
they are able to realise their potential.

Promising Change A School that’s Heading in the Right Direction
4. 0 A SCHOOL THAT'S HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Government Boys Primary School
RB 67 Union Council 37
Jaranwala
The region was in the grip of one of the worst

cold waves ever, but for the students and
teachers of Government Primary School (GPS)
for Boys RB 67-UC 37 Jaranwala, it was just
another school day. Nursery, Class IV and V
were seated outside in different parts of the
school premises, while Classes I, II and III were
in separate rooms inside. None of the classes
had benches or desks for students, only
makeshift mats on the cold damp ground. If one
did not go beyond appearances, there could be
no bleaker picture; yet GPS RB 67 is a unique
school with its own unique story.
Located in Jaranwala, District Faisalabad, the drive from Faisalabad city to the school is a
picturesque one that zigzags through fields of sugarcane and mustard. There are frequent stops to
allow overburdened bullock-carts to pass along the narrow road. Once there, one is struck by the large
pucca houses opposite the school, which is situated next door to the Union Council Office. Built in
1912, it appears that little has been done to improve the existing infrastructure since then. Of the five
rooms, one is used as an office and another as a store-room. There is only one barely functional toilet,
and a single hand-pump that supplies water. Dilapidated though it is, it is nonetheless clean and tidy,
with trees and trimmed hedges.
GPS RB 67 has a total of seven teachers, of

whom three are women. Its enrolment has
increased from 167 in November 2005 to 212
in November 2007, with only one confirmed
drop-out due to relocation. About 50 of the
recent enrolments are apparently because of
the addition of female teachers, and ten of the
new students have shifted here from private
schools. By and large, the student body does
not belong to affluent households, although
there are exceptions. The agricultural region
where the school is located means that many of
the boys' parents work in the fields, or in
factories dealing with agricultural produce.
Transformations
Six out of the seven teachers at this school have received Whole School Development training
through the Institute of Learning (IoL), Faisalabad. All of them spoke highly of the experience and
expressed a keenness for additional trainings. The Head Teacher, Maqsood, has been at this school
for 18 years, and the training has impacted him the most. He is, in fact, the primary reason why this
school can be considered a success.

According to Haji Manzoor, the teacher for Class IV and Maqsood's older brother, for about six
months after Maqsood joined the school, he worked diligently. At that point, there was an issue
regarding one of the boys a case of giving too severe a punishment and the boy's family members
came to the school armed with sticks. They threatened and abused him, and might even have caused
bodily harm. From then on, Maqsood hardly ever attended the school, let alone take an interest in
what was happening there. This scenario lasted for roughly 16 years. Manzoor himself has been at the
school for seven years, after living in the Middle East and later teaching in other villages.
During those years, other confrontations with community members occurred, including one where
some of the teachers and students were mending a broken boundary wall: one boy's family members
were enraged at this and resorted to physical violence with the teachers. Another teacher was either
transferred or his services were terminated. All in all there was hardly any redeeming feature in the
school. Haji Manzoor said, “Why should I lie to you? He (Maqsood) was suspended but his service
was not terminated. None of us had the will to work.” The turning point for Maqsood came when he
attended the ten-day Head Teachers' training conducted by SPU. Since then his entire attitude
towards the school changed.
Manzoor, too, was radically altered by the training he attended. He said, “Earlier I was not at all
comfortable with anyone observing my teaching; now it doesn't affect me at all. Now even if the
president of the country himself were to observe my teaching it would be fine with me!” This
11
confidence, he felt, came from attending the training sessions. “It was one phrase that Toqir Sahib
12
used that changed my entire outlook. He referred to teaching as a paighambari paisha and that's
what made me realise the significance of the work I did. It was like a spark had been ignited within me
that gave me the desire to work again.”
Teaching in practice
Manzoor teaches mostly in Punjabi, and his

class of 21 boys was very comfortable with that.
During the mathematics lesson he used
colloquial terminology but gave their Urdu
equivalents as he explained. Maintaining a
friendly demeanour, he called on students to
provide answers on the blackboard. His Urdu
lesson was interactive and the methodology
very engaging. He provided explanations of
words and phrases, often using colloquial
references and then translating them into Urdu
and English. At one point the essay under
discussion referred to the distance covered by
an aeroplane, and he was quick to test the boys' mathematical knowledge.
He was proud of his students' understanding of subjects and conveyed a sense of paternal ownership:
there was an attendance chart on the notice-board to keep track of their progress. He said, “Feel free to
ask them anything from the topics we've covered I'm sure they'll answer correctly.” He often
13
addressed students as putar and patted them on the shoulder when he praised them, which was
frequent. Attuned to the class, when about one-third of the Urdu essay had been discussed, he asked if
they wanted to continue or move on to the science lesson. He explained, “Their attention was starting
to wander.” Sure enough the majority was ready to move on to another lesson.

Mohammad Asim teaches Class V along with

the Head Teacher, Maqsood. Has been at this
school for four years, is on contract and has a
BA. He said he refused a job just last week even
though it offered a better salary. “I want to stay
in the teaching profession I like it here.” Asim
did not receive training and did not claim to
know what it entailed. “Until a teacher is
satisfied his or her pay and enjoys the job,” he
stated, “the profession will not get the respect it
deserves.” He had strong views about the
bureaucracy of the education system, and the
role of the community, but did not want to be
quoted.
Asif, the teacher for Nursery, has taught at this

school since 2004 and is on contract. He said he
used the teaching kit regularly, and found it
useful. Students were enthused and energised
by the activities therein, and that made it
worthwhile for him. He used number cards or
drew numbers or letters in the air with his finger
and asked students to identify them. Asif was
soft-spoken and came across as very patient,
giving much positive reinforcement to those
who responded or wrote correct answers.
Managing the large class appeared to be a major issue, and while the boys seated closer to him were
engaged by the lesson, those at the back were doing other things and were not attentive. It was clear
that the class size was too large for one teacher to manage. He explained that he normally divides the
class into groups, as there are about 20 or so who are too young (3 years old) to follow what's going on.
The older students of Nursery class knew their

numbers and alphabets, and were confident and
eager. Maqsood showed the nursery rhyme
'Jack and Jill' in Nursery's textbook: “These
children go to the mosque to learn Arabic, they
speak Punjabi at home and with each other, and
we try to teach them Urdu and basic English in
school how can they be expected to learn
something this complicated at Nursery level
when they are already so burdened?”
Classes I, II and III are taught by Kausar, Asifa

and Tayyaba respectively. All three hold Master's degrees (Islamiyat, Geography and Mathematics)
and Kausar and Asifa formerly taught at private schools. They have been at this school for a year and
are hired on contract.
Much of the increase in enrolment was credited to them, specifically because of their experience at
private schools and qualifications, and they were proud of that. They were eager to share methods
they employ to teach reading and writing, adding that the leap from basics to complicated texts in the
syllabus made that challenging for them.

Tayyaba explained that she divided the Urdu

alphabet into letters that changed in form when
put into words and those that didn't, which
helped her students in writing. “I tell them, for
example, that aliph14 does not change, no matter
where in the word it is placed, but bey, pey15 etc.
are altered. I do that with the whole alphabet.”
Kausar wrote portions of words and asked
students to read out what they saw, thereby
using phonemes to read entire words. Class I
was extremely proficient at word recognition
and was able to read an entire paragraph with
ease. It was difficult to gauge how much reading was with comprehension; nonetheless Kausar was
thorough about explaining meanings in context.
One of Asifa's lessons with Class II was similar

in content, but she later brought out a
supplementary reader16 and conducted a lesson
on shared reading. Interest and enthusiasm
among the students increased dramatically as
they called out what happens next and waved
their hands so they could give the answer. They
all claimed to love the book, and Asifa
corroborated that by saying, “Every time I bring
out this book they all get excited. They know it
by heart but still can't get enough of it”. Even
her own demeanour changed in this lesson,
from rather stern to a smiling, friendly teacher.
Tayyaba was teaching fractions in mathematics, and it was evident that her own familiarity with
concepts assisted her in explaining them to Class III. The class was quick to respond; when asked to
depict a fraction visually, many students were eager to try and the one who eventually did was
confident and correct. Tayyaba expressed concern for her students, and said that it made her happy
when they did well. She referred to one particular boy whose attention and performance had declined
sharply after a land dispute between his father and uncle, forcing him to leave school early to help his
father.
It was apparent that the three female teachers were familiar with concepts acquired during their
training on activity-based learning, but it also appeared that they were not employing them frequently.
Students recognised the methodology but did not demonstrate the kind of familiarity that frequent
exposure would result in. All three were keen on improving their students' performance but were
relying more on lecture and memorisation to achieve those ends. Kausar speculated, “Maybe because
I was exposed to the lecture method as an MA student, it is difficult for me to do things differently; it is
difficult to bring myself down to the children's level.”
The Head Teacher
Maqsood teaches Social Studies and Urdu to Class V. His teaching style was informal and interactive,
focussing on discussion rather than lecture. He maintained a wry sense of humour throughout the

lesson, entertaining students' responses and

leading on from them to explicate concepts. In
the lesson on weather and climate, he referred
to students' personal experience to emphasise
his points. He showed portions of the text he
had highlighted, that he felt were most
important for them to understand. “In Class V
we have to keep in mind that their exams are
crucial and have to teach accordingly,” he
explained, and then added, “Cheating is
rampant.” To ensure attendance he had
acquired the telephone numbers and contact
information of each boy, so that they would not miss lessons. His students responded eagerly to his
questions and were confident and unafraid.
One cannot help but feel that Maqsood is more

an academic than an administrator. He waved a
form in frustration, saying, “Every month for
18 years they have expected me to fill this out.
Every month I tell them the school was built in
1912, has so many rooms and so many pillars. I
can accept that this information may change but
tell me, how can my date-of-birth change every
month?” He admits that sometimes he simply
makes up information because he knows that no
one will bother to read it. “These forms are
designed by someone who has tried to stuff in as
much as he can into the four pages because he's
trying to impress his superior I do not have the free time to spend hours on it.”
Maqsood has noticed a change in the last three

years previously two or three years would go
by without anyone visiting the school to check,
but now the AEO pays more attention. Even
now, though, the emphasis is on teacher
attendance. AEO visits make sure that teachers
are present but do not address the issue of
quality of education. He feels that until each
individual teacher is checked regularly
monthly there can be no improvement. “I
propose that there should be unannounced
visits to schools to test students on what they
have covered. The results should then be
announced in a public gathering of AEOs and teachers, and the schools that do well should be
commended. Those that do not should also be mentioned publicly, because that will give the
incentive to improve.”
“Attendance of teachers has improved of late because they are apprehensive about the AEO's visits,
but students are still not their focus: they are concerned about their jobs. Even if teachers' salaries are
doubled, it will make no difference because teachers feel it is their due. They must receive training to
change their perceptions.” Maqsood was critical of the process of attaining higher academic
qualifications: he felt that degrees could be attained without much effort. He argued that at the

primary school level, it was not higher

qualifications but practical training that made
all the difference. The training he attended was
“unique and extraordinary because not only
were the trainers experts in their field, they also
imparted the information effectively and came
across as sincere and personally motivated.”
Their sincerity inspired him to change his views.
Shortly after his training he purchased

highlighters, markers and other stationery,
books, and a second-hand battery-operated
alphabet gadget from his personal finances. He
made charts on history and Urdu poetry. He said, “The teachers made fun of me at first. They tore
some of the charts, spilt tea on others. Eventually they joined in and helped out as well.” These charts
had been put away because the school was going to be whitewashed, but he showed a few of them.
“Change is a slow process,” he mused, “and it will take time for things to take effect.”
GPS RB67 has received Rs.130, 000 that will be used for fixing the boundary wall and whitewashing
the rooms. Maqsood has formed a new School Council and held two meetings. Between the SC and
teachers they have collected Rs.34, 000. The water tank and electricity connection have been
provided by parents. Maqsood said with a laugh, “The boundary wall has been left in this condition
because it has completed its term. Let me explain: if someone dies, the funeral prayers are held in the
school; the neighbourhood's children use the premises as their playground; mothers leave their young
children here when they go to work. After fixing it several times, we have given up because we know
it'll just be broken again. Now we'll just rebuild the whole thing once and for all.”
He spoke highly of the need for experiential

education, saying the current system only
encourages “rattai aur pittai” 17 . While
generally good humoured, there was one point
at which he got emotional: “If I didn't care, why
would I go through the 30- 40-year-old log
books of this school? I have studied them and I
can see the differences. Former AEOs would
make detailed and astute observations; one of
them had even noted the absence of a particular
student. They knew the schools and their visits
were a celebration where the school was
decorated and work was displayed. Now it's all
about making sure the paperwork is complete
quality of education is simply not their
headache.”
Maqsood was equally candid about the

relationship between the school and the
community: “Sometimes they tell us that we do
not punish the boys enough, other times they
complain that we are too severe. The parents

insult teachers and blame them for fights among boys, even when they happen after school hours.”
He felt that when parents were expected to invest financially in their children's education, they valued
it more. That was why, in his opinion, there was a difference in their attitude towards public and
private education. “If we want society to improve, we have to change our approach to education. We
are required to teach so they attain a degree, not so they can learn. Knowledge doesn't get transferred
from books they are just tools it comes from switching on your mind so you can be receptive to
information.”
Opinions and undercurrents
The teachers of GPS RB67 were unanimous on the fact that their Head Teacher had changed
significantly. Tayyaba said “He suddenly started asking us what we were teaching and telling us to do
such-and-such poem.” “He asked me to make charts for my class,” added Kausar. Asim commented,
“He suddenly started going on about learning-by-doing; I told him to demolish the roof and rebuild it
if he was so keen!” Manzoor felt that the Head Teacher needed to be more punctual and needed to
check teachers' work daily to see what had been done. But then he said, “If he put in 40% earlier, it has
gone up by 60% - in other words he's 90% there!”
There was an atmosphere of collegiality, which is encouraged by Maqsood. Teachers are asked to
observe each other's classes so they can learn from one another. Male teachers of the school have
welcomed Kausar, Asifa and Tayyaba as family members, not only because they belong to the same
village but also because they want to maintain a genial atmosphere. The women do not have any
complaints regarding male teachers' attitudes or behaviour, and say they feel comfortable and safe.
“We even address one of the teachers as 'uncle'”, they say laughingly. They use the three available
classrooms, in part so that they aren't visible to passers-by looking over the wall.
Maqsood said that such issues made him

question whether hiring them was a good idea,
though this was not said in their presence. The
women appeared to keep to themselves and
there were some insinuations about them
considering themselves superior because of
their qualifications. Asif added, “If we had
asked them to call us 'Sir' their manner might
have been more respectful but we did not want
that kind of deference.” While male teachers
acknowledge that the community is happy with
the female teachers, they nonetheless feel that
the women are waiting for an opportunity to get a better job. Perhaps what was being implied was that
they do not feel the same kind of ownership of the school as the male teachers do.
The issue of private schools' supposed superiority was one that caused some tension among teachers.
The women felt that that even if students had equal intelligence, those from private schools would
somehow perform better. One of them remarked, “After all there's bound to be a difference between
boys that play with a bat and ball and those that play computer games.” But then another added, “As
such there is no difference between this school and a private school, except that there they have better
facilities; there the children have exercise books but here they sometimes use a takhti and slates.”
The school and the community
It was clear that the relationship between the school and the community was tenuous at best. Parents'
involvement was an issue that Asim, Nursery's teacher, felt strongly about: he said they requested

them to provide books and uniforms to their

children but they did not respond. “We have
even sent notes home with students but parents
are just not interested.” Asif, Class V's teacher,
also felt that no matter what the teachers do,
they can only succeed if parents cooperate with
them. Manzoor, Class IV's teacher, felt that the
parents' tone and attitude towards teachers was
one of utter disrespect. Commenting on the
buffalos tied just outside the school wall, he
said, “We have asked the student's father
several times to tie them elsewhere but he just
does not listen.”
The main issue raised by the women of the community was to do with the lack of facilities in the
school they felt that furniture, a sweeper and a chowkidar18 were basics that every school should have.
They said that the families that lived near the school had cars and sent their children to schools in the
city; they therefore did not care to improve this school. For their own part, one of them said, “Our
boys come back from school filthy because there are no chairs all we can do is wash their clothes and
give them food. Nothing more.”
However after the criticism, they went on to say that the school had improved in the recent past, and
the teaching and attitudes had improved. Some were particularly glad that the school now had women
teachers. Male community members also acknowledged the improvements in the school over the
past two years. They felt that the quality of teaching had improved and there had been a reduction in
the severity of punishments meted to the boys. They also felt that the Head Teacher had started to
make an effort to involve the community and that it was a positive move.
In conclusion
Maqsood received training in September-

October 2007 but already feels the impact is
diminishing. He recommended that there
should be greater frequency in training so that
individuals are not de-motivated. While the
training was satisfactory on the whole, the
process needed to be regularised through an
organisation that could continue the work on a
permanent basis. “The sole responsibility of the
organisation should be to conduct regular,
frequent trainings so that the effect does not
fade away.” Activity-based teaching should be
demonstrated not only in terms of how it is done but also how the materials can be made.
There needed to be more practice as well as a 'demo lesson' with an actual class, which would allow
teachers to observe and learn how to manage their own classes in a similar manner. This point was
supported by several other teachers, who also felt that specific topics from the syllabus should be
covered in the training to make it more relevant.
It is remarkable that someone who was the Head Teacher of a school hardly ever attended it for 16
years, and even more so that the same person could change so radically. Maqsood is by no means an

uninterested individual; he is well-read and

makes frequent references to Sufi philosophy
and poetry. He is also candid and critical when
discussing bureaucracy and the education
system. His qualities are appreciated by his
colleagues, and he attempts to practice what he
preaches. Whether his transformation with
regard to the school can actually alter the
learning and attitudes within the school and the
community remains to be seen. Although there
is the concern that things can revert to their
former state, it is apparent that the initial steps
have been taken in the right direction and one
hopes that levels of motivation are sustained.

Promising Change A Supportive Environment for Learning
5.0 A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING

Government Boys Elementary School
Village 203 GB Union Council 106
Samundari
Active involvement of the community
The school consists of two separate buildings

half a kilometre apart. The main school
building houses classes Katchi, I, IV and V,
along with the three middle-school classes: VI,
VII and VIII. A plaque, seeking that his parents
be blessed for their good deed of educating
children in the school, at the entrance gate of the
second building constructed in 2005, provides
the explanation for the donation of the land and
school by a member of the community. It
houses Classes II and III. Class III has a large
number of boys divided into two sections but
enrolment in Class II is low. According to the
community, establishment of a school by the
Ghazali Foundation, a private school system
nearby, drew many students away from the
boys' school. However, since Malik Mushtaq
came as Head Teacher about a year and a half
back enrolment has again picked up an
indication that good leadership is essential to
success. His old students whose children study
in this school were instrumental in arranging
for his transfer. The only M.Ed from his family
Mushtaq is dedicated to education as is his wife,
also a Head Teacher in a girl's school.
The new Chairman of the recently reconstituted

school council, whose two sons are studying in
the school, is keen to improve attendance of
teachers as quality education alone will attract
students. He also intends to use school funds
more efficiently by supervising all new
construction work himself. While we were
sitting with the Head Teacher, an electrician
from the community dropped by to offer his
services free of cost.
The Head Teacher has collected eighty

thousand rupees from the community for which
he also thanks the training he and a community member received from SPU. The promise of
additional funds from the project has also helped in getting people from the community more
interested in contributing to the development of the school. Different kinship groups are vying with
each other to express their interest.

Leadership has revived the school
When Mushtaq joined as Head Teacher the first task he set himself was to build his teaching team.
With eight teachers having undergone the SPU training he makes sure that they implement what they
have learnt in the classroom. He has a keen insight into their teaching strengths and allocates them to
the appropriate classes and subjects. At the same time he rotates them so that all classes can benefit
from the teacher who is good in math or English. Nine teachers are available to teach as many
classes/sections. Of these four are Matric/PTC teachers, three are BA/BSC/CT, and two are MA/BEd
of whom one is female. No class is left unattended if its teacher is absent; either he takes the class
himself or gives dual responsibility to another teacher. Even while we were talking he made sure that
teachers and students were all working. Today, teachers are keen to be transferred to this school and
none of the contract teachers placed here have left. Although the area is conservative, the head teacher
has encouraged female teachers to come here; soon there will be two women in the school.
Child friendly classrooms

Impact of the training under the whole school
development model is evident from how
teaching is now conducted. The children look
happy and each student is involved in the
learning process. Their work is displayed in the
classroom giving them a sense of confidence
and achievement. Teachers first question
children on what was done on the previous day
before moving on to the day's lesson. They start
by raising questions, encouraging the children
to respond on the basis of their experiences, and
adding some examples themselves. This is
followed by writing the question and responses
on the blackboard. It is only then that the
teacher refers to the textbook. The bringing in
of the students' knowledge and tying it in with
what is in the book makes the lesson relevant
and interesting. On this particular day the
teacher was teaching about the environment
and the difference between the rural and urban
settings. Students participated eagerly trying to
outdo one another in their response.
Teachers were seen to be frequently using three
languages, the mother tongue Punjabi, the
national language Urdu, and English. Teachers
find it convenient to give instructions in Punjabi in the province, and they are also more comfortable
using it for general conversation. A change in the attitude of teachers could be observed as they
attempted to temper their authoritarian and harsh style of communicating with the students. It was
also encouraging to hear them referring to the boys by name.
Though a little reticent, Class III students knew what the two colours of the national flag depicted.
They could identify different words and expressed an interest in role play and drawing which had
evidently been taught as part of science.
Teachers and students said they found it easier to teach now that they knew how to relate different
activities to seating arrangements in the classroom. None of the children looked tired or bored as they

sometimes worked individually, sometimes in

pairs and often in groups. They moved about in
the classroom with ease and adjusted without
any confusion or too much noise when the
teacher asked them to do so. It was evident that
this has become the set routine.
All children in each class also had school bags,
textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils,
erasers, sharpeners and sufficient colour
pencils. However furniture, that is desks and
benches, were only provided for Class V.
Considering that this is a markaz19 school, this
was a surprising find. It points to the uphill task
of achieving quality in overcrowded and ill
equipped classrooms.
Drawing makes learning exciting and easy
“See all the work I have done,” said a Class III
student proudly showing his science book full
of drawings and written work. He was also clear
about the concepts he had worked on.
Previously children found learning science and
math the most difficult as these two subjects
were taught primarily through rote
memorization. Since the trainings under the
project, the focus had shifted to an
understanding of concepts and active
participation by teachers and students in the
learning process. Drawing plants to understand
their different parts and learning shape and size
at the same time is something new for both
teacher and student.
Students were clear about different science

concepts such as what gases plants take in and
give out. Group monitors ensured that all the
students in their group had enough colour pencils and crayons to work with. Monitors are changed
according to a set routine so that all children can participate in this process.
“It has become so much easier to teach math,”
said one of the teachers, proud of the progress
his class had made in learning fractions. Now
that geometry boxes have been given to the
schools, Class IV was engrossed in working out
angles. The arrival of the new science and math
kits a few days ago had generated excitement
and apprehension on how to use them without
too much damage.

A start has been made with the language kit; students were hoping to hear more stories such as the one
about Babloo and his mischievous behaviour narrated to them by the teacher more than a year ago
when he had returned from the training. They can never forget it.
Teachers' views
“We have changed our approach to teaching to

make it more activity-based. Now children are
more involved in what they are learning by
using their hands, whether it is drawing or
writing or measuring. In this way they do not
forget what they have learnt. We tell them
stories and jokes to maintain their interest. By
using these new methodologies that we learnt in
the training, in particular the weak children
have benefited the most. Role play has been
very effective in teaching language as
previously children were weak in Urdu. We
question students regularly and this provides us
with feedback on their progress. We give them work to do in their exercise books and when these are
checked by us we know how much they have learnt.”
Nazia, the alone female teacher in the boys' school, joined a year ago after she had received the
training. In her view it is the small activities conducted for teaching math which is her specialty that
have helped in clarifying concepts for children. She also mentioned the change in teachers' attitude,
especially checking students' work, which has brought abut improvement. As a student of
psychology she had learnt that every child is good in something and she followed this principle in her
work.
All teachers have been trained by the

Directorate of Staff Development (DSD) and
eight have also undergone the WSD training.
Teachers were of the view that prior to the
training they received from SPU, they did not
know how to handle the large number of
children in one class. Now they divide them
into two sections. They also mark their
homework on alternate days so that each
student's work is checked. They walk around
the class more and question children
individually and see their work. Children are
taking much more interest in their studies and
they no longer need to threaten them with a stick.
Teachers referred to problems of late arrival of students because of the work they have to do at home
before coming to school. They also spoke about shortage of appropriate exercise books and how for
math they had to teach children to make squares in their books to work on graphs and fractions.
The language kit had only just been given to the school. They were hesitant to hang it in the semi-
20
covered area where the nursery class was sitting. So far only the Katchi qaida and some colour

pencils were available for the use of small

children. The elderly teacher in charge of the
class was trying to teach them to read and write:
a task he found difficult to accomplish. At
present nursery and Class I are housed in the
main elementary school and Class II in the new
building half a kilometre away. When asked if it
would not be more appropriate to have the three
junior classes together, perhaps in the other
school building, the head teacher said that
parents found it more convenient to send their
small children to the main elementary school as
it was nearer their homes. Using one kit in two
different locations may present a problem.
Attendance showing improvement
It was a cold winter morning with some rain the day before. The school was not informed about our
visit and the attendance register was checked the first day. Although there was little change in
enrolment, attendance in all classes had improved markedly over the last two years. It can be assumed
that the dropout will also be much less. Enrolment in nursery has risen, partly as a result of the EFA
campaign launched throughout the district to get more children into school. It is now up to the school
to keep them there.
Enrolment Attendance
Nov 05 Nov 07 Nov 05 Nov 07
Nursery 50 71 37 69
Grade 1 68 50 60 49
Grade 2 55 45 47 43
Grade 3 62 76 60 74
Grade 4 60 56 53 55
Grade 5 55 51 52 50
Total 350 349 309 340
A challenge for the school is the presence of three private schools in the village, which is the largest in
the union council, consisting of 1600 households. The people are both rich and poor, the very rich
belong to households from where most of the boys and men are working overseas or have businesses
and shops in Samundari town. They can afford to send their children to the private schools. Several
members of the community own land and poultry farms and their children are continuing to study in
this government school. Children of the poor and working classes are also enrolled here as education
is free, as are textbooks.

Promising Change A Vibrant two-teacher School
6.0 A VIBRANT TWO-TEACHER SCHOOL

Village 120 GB Union Council 38
Jaranwala
“We are only two teachers for the six classes and as head teacher I also have to meet with mothers and
community members when they come to the school. At times I have to go the AEOs office but they are
aware of our problems so a peon brings the post to my house.”
Sanctioned in 1940 the village girls' primary

school sits in a depression having functioned
sporadically under a tree for over half a century.
With much effort in 1999 the teachers and
community succeeded in getting one classroom
and a veranda constructed. Last year two
classrooms, the boundary wall and two latrines
were constructed under the Punjab Education
Sector Reforms Program (PESRP): the school is
now the pride of the village. Will it also take this
long to get sufficient teachers asked the recently
appointed chairperson of the School Council?
With 15 years of teaching experience Maqboolan, whose qualifications are 10 years of schooling and
a PTC, has been Head teacher in this school having joined in 1995, a year before the second teacher.
Government rules did not permit her to hand over her role to the younger teacher who she felt, in
addition to being more qualified, was an excellent teacher and more in touch with modern teaching
methods. A first class first throughout her academic life, Amtul had worked in Skardu in the northern
part of the country in properly constructed and fully staffed army-managed schools; she faced a
radically different environment in this village. As the top priority it was decided to use sugarcane
stalks to demarcate the perimeter of the school space. Students from the maktab21 school next door
provided the labour. Classes continued to be held in the open for three years.
Dividing responsibilities and the daily routine
Today two classes sit side by side in the three

classrooms, as teachers shift from one to the
other, ensuring that all children are doing some
work. Nursery and Class I children sit on the
floor on mats brought from home, the higher
classes have benches and tables. When the
teacher is with one class the other is writing or
working in groups. Free textbooks provided
under the PESRP arrived after the start of the
new school term in September. Previously
students got their books before the three-month
summer vacation, which according to the
teachers and parents gave them something to work on during that time. Making up for lost time is
apparent from the progress made by the students as their exercise books were full of drawings, math
sums, writing, all work done in class or at home.

School begins around 9.00 am. No restrictions

have been placed on younger children coming
in later. An assembly is held outside in the
school ground during which children are told
about namaz (prayers) and some verses from
the Quran are read out to them. According to the
Head Teacher and corroborated by the students,
all children go to a local woman to learn the
Quran which takes two hours before they get
ready for school in the morning, and for one
hour again in the evening. Teachers consider
this sufficient to cover the Islamiyat subject till Class III. By 9.30 children have gone to their
respective classrooms. Nursery and Class I students take off their shoes and place them in a row in the
veranda outside their classroom before entering class.
Each teacher is responsible for two classes, the head teacher is in charge of Nursery, III and IV and the
other teacher for II and V. Recognizing her proficiency in English she has been asked by the head
teacher to teach English to all classes. Both teachers also conduct one activity daily with Nursery and
Class I. For the nursery class school ends at noon: this provides an opportunity for the teachers to give
more attention to Class I, which is then sent home at 1:00 pm.
Despite the short time spent with each class,
more work gets done than is seen in most
government schools with more teachers.
Behind the competence and confidence the
teachers show in teaching is the daily lesson
plan and procedures set for conducting each
session. Students from Class II to V are also
aware of how their school day is structured.
Each class has a different timetable to enable
the two teachers to divide their time between
the classes. As such, Class II starts with English
followed by Urdu and Science. After the break
they spend an hour writing takhti and Math is taught at the end of the day. Class III starts with Urdu
followed by Science, Math, English and Islamiyat. There is a half-hour break at noon when children
either go home to eat or buy something from the neighbourhood shop. Class IV starts with Urdu,
followed by Social Studies, Science, English and Math. And, for Class V the first lesson is English
followed by Urdu. The third period can be Math or Science and after the break takhti writing is
followed by Math or Science, Social Studies and Islamiyat. For Classes II to V, school ends at 2:00
pm. For the teachers it continues for another hour when they voluntarily teach the older girls from the
village who plan to take the Class VIII exam privately.
Creative use of local educational resources
Most village land is owned by four large landlords and tilled by their tenants who live in the village;
they comprise about a third of the local population. There are also some small farmers, however the
majority are agricultural and factory workers. By all standards the community is poor with only a few
families sending their children to the recently opened private school. There is a maktab school, a
government school and a high school for boys. For girls this school is the only option. Although
several girls want to continue their education, transport costs to the girls' high school in the nearest
town are prohibitive. In some cases parents are reluctant to let their girls go out of the village. About a
month back the teachers came up with an innovative strategy enlisting three of primary completers to
help them with the two junior classes in the mornings in lieu of their coaching them after school in the

two languages, science and math. The 'Helpers'

take over the classes once the teachers have
conducted an activity with the children, such as
naming the parts of the body in Urdu and
English using a student as a model, which
children and helpers, who were not exposed to
such methods, find interesting and enjoyable.
They teach them the alphabets and counting
and so far have only been told to teach the
children “with love” and play with them. The
seeds of an apprenticeship model have been
planted for poor communities where local
teachers are few and government apathetic. If nurtured and developed these girls will be truly
empowered.
Activity based teaching & learning
Through activities teachers are building the students' listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Even the youngest children respond confidently to questions related to animals, their colour, size and
weight. They can name all the animals in the village and whether they lay eggs or are mammals. It is
evident that repeated questioning has made them alert and attentive with rewards for performance
reinforced by frequent clapping. There is no
reprimanding of incorrect responses, instead
the correct answer is repeated a few times so
that all children, the quick and slow learners,
benefit. They are also quick in following
instructions and in recognizing pictures outside
the textbook. What is remarkable is that all
children are active participants.
The older children find drawing to be the most

enjoyable activity. They do, however, miss not
having the teacher with them all day as she has
to attend to the other classes. This was also
noticed by the AEO on one of her visits to the
school. Some students said that science has become very interesting as they now draw and colour
pictures of plants and animals. Math was no longer dreaded and they enthusiastically proceeded to
demonstrate how by pulling out different items from their school bag they had learnt addition and
subtraction. A story narrated by the teacher the previous day had created much excitement as they had
assumed the characteristics of the animals. It is
evident they are having fun while learning, with
the impact of the training methodology
noticeable in their quick grasp of questions
asked, ready response and the work done.
Another interesting aspect of the methodology
is the teaching of more than one concept and
skill through a single activity.
Although the teachers state that it is difficult to

do several activities in a single day or everyday,
they have overcome this problem by selecting
certain subjects where role play and drama are

included. It is easier to make subjects such as the languages and science activity-based, but beyond a
certain level this is difficult in math. However, by questioning children and creating an opportunity
for them to learn from each other through discussion and sharing information students are involved in
the learning process everyday. Occasionally students from different classes jointly conduct an
activity.
Cooperative learning
Learning in mixed ability groups is in practice

from Class III onwards. There is no hesitancy
among students in consulting each other or in
recognizing the ability of the group leader in
helping them with their studies. The group
leaders proudly showed their schoolbags full to
the brim with materials they share with their
group of students before each lesson. Colour
pencils and geometry boxes are in great
demand in Classes III, IV and V, and girls were
seen busily constructing circles, triangles and
squares and then bisecting them to understand
the concept of fractions.
Teachers are able to give more attention to the

children in groups. The procedure followed by
both teachers is to first get the groups' attention
by focusing on an illustration; questioning the
girls on what it represents gets them to speak.
They then read, explain and ask them if they
have understood the topic or concept.
Reinforcement of the concept through
discussion and relating it with what was taught
previously is followed by asking them to read
out from the book. Pair-work was observed in
the lesson on dialogue and conversation in English. The last stage in the lesson is written work, such
as five sums if the subject is math, or writing difficult words or sentences in either of the two
languages. All English words and sentences are explained and translated into Urdu to ensure that the
children have understood the meaning of all the words.
Textbooks used are those provided by the Punjab Textbook Board, however, as a result of the change
in teaching methodology, the children's response is different from what one usually gets in a
government school. When asked why their favourite lesson was the story on Quaid-e-Azam the girls
of Class III said because he created Pakistan “and developed the country.”
Identifying Change
Amtul recalled her experience of teaching in this school and of “how dull the children were” before
the whole school development training and how, by involving children and changing “our own
attitudes”, the learning environment has been completely altered. The change in the teacher is critical.
It has been achieved by involving them in them in the learning process. The reflective journal
exercise had been very effective: it helped them think about what they did in class and identify the
changes in students and themselves as a result of the different activities. The particular example she
gave was of the children acting the part of different animals and talking about them. Their wealth of

knowledge was amazing. The other was the improvement and greater participation of the slow
learners.
The older students are also able to recognize the

change in teaching methodologies such as
having a group leader whom they said they
selected and who was helpful in explaining the
lesson to them. The girls are more expressive at
this level and said that the formation of groups
has helped them as they can learn from each
other. The responsibility of the group leader is
also more at this level, in that she collects
money from each girl in her group and they all
go together to buy what they want to eat from
the shop outside the school.
The learning materials given to them,

especially the different kinds of exercise books
for various subjects, drawing materials,
benches and tables had made a big difference. It
is now possible for the teacher to work with one
group while the other groups work
independently. Activity-based learning had
also been introduced over the last two years and
ever since they started learning poems with
actions they find them easy to remember and
understand. Now, they also enjoy studying
science especially drawing the different parts of
plants and the digestive system, which they easily explained. The charts on the classroom wall had
been made by them and they know what is represented on them.
The girls were all eager to show their work but there is a sense of healthy competition and
collaboration that conveyed this is 'our work'. Clearly this is a reflection of the teachers' friendly
attitude towards them. The teachers they said had always been good to them and taught well and now
they were even friendlier and more affectionate. An environment for creative work and expression
has been created and the result is self-evident.
According to Class V students, they have been reading more stories and poems since the last two
years. This is when the teachers training program was initiated. Many more new activities have been
introduced, such as the display of their work in the classroom. The students said “it is easy to be
attentive in class when learning is made
interesting.” However, Math and English
required a lot of practice for which local tutors
had to be relied upon as the teachers lived
outside the village. Preparation for the public
primary exam next year had already started.
Parents have noticed a change in their children

who are no longer afraid to go to school and are
learning better. Their daughters are now more
polite, a result of the behaviour pattern
introduced in the school where students have to

request the teacher before leaving and entering the classroom. The children tell them what they have
learnt, who visited the schools and what they were questioned on. They themselves visit the school
more often now to see what is happening and are welcomed by the teachers. To sustain the changes
taking place, more enrolment will lead to more teachers and allow for maximum student-teacher
contact time. Pressure on teachers can thereby be reduced to give them time to reflect and innovate.
Teaching-learning materials for the classroom and the children are critical if improvement in the
quality of education is to take place.
Community women taking the lead
Two months ago the school received a grant of Rs.20,000 under the PESRP. Supposedly an annual
grant, it has only been given twice in the last few years. The project will give them Rs.130,000 if they
can raise 10 percent of the amount. The teachers started the collection by contributing themselves,
and now small amounts are pouring in from parents and community members, including the imam of
the local mosque whose daughters study in the school. The school council members contributed
themselves and also told the teachers about those parents who could pay, in order for teachers to
approach them. The response is very encouraging. The money will go towards filling the depression
in the school ground, levelling it, and for soling. The next step would be motivating them to
contribute to the less tangible quality inputs such as exercise books for English, math and languages,
colour pencils, crayons etc. which are ongoing needs of the children after the end of the project.
The Chairperson of the recently reconstituted

school council now headed by a community
member with the Head Teacher as the deputy
chairperson is very vocal. A grey haired woman,
she had accompanied the Head Teacher to the
training. Since then she had become even more
active in eliciting community support for the
school. In her view, motivating the mothers is
more effective than focusing on the males of the
community. They now know where to go and
whom to approach in connection with the
school.
The men of the community, particularly whose children are enrolled in the school, are satisfied with
the performance of the teachers. Over the last two years their involvement in school affairs has
increased; they now recognize the importance of community participation in the school especially in
the improvement of its infrastructure for which they are prepared to contribute.
An official view
The Assistant Education Officer, Noreen, is amply qualified to recognize when change is taking place.
With an MA in Islamiyat and another in Education, she is now completing her third Master's degree in
English from the Allama Iqbal Open University. Starting out as a Subject Specialist she became Head
Teacher and has been at her present post since 1997. Given the large number of schools under her
supervision 41 schools of which 30 are primary and 11 elementary she visits them once a year. This
school is an exception and she is quite familiar with it, having been to it a number of times with the
project staff.
She is all praise for the teachers who, in her view, are responsible for an improvement in the quality of
education as can be judged from the increased enrolment, better attendance and improved retention
rate of the school. She had attended the first teacher training to get an understanding of the training

targets and expectations from it.
Schools located in small rural communities

have low enrolments which questions the
feasibility of one teacher for every class. The
community has only 150 households. It is
encouraging to see more children entering
school especially in Katchi or Nursery Class.
Still several children can be seen outside in the
streets and fields. Households belonging to the
butcher caste in particular have no interest in
educating their children. One reason given by
the community for the low enrolment is that
there is no institution in the village for education beyond primary for girls.
Enrolment Attendance Drop-out
Nov 05 Nov 07 Nov 05 Nov 07 Nov 05 Nov 07
Nursery 17 27 10 27 1 Nil
Grade 1 22 30 14 30 1 Nil
Grade 2 12 18 9 17 Nil Nil
Total 95 112 68 109 2 Nil
The School Council and the project are recognized as the main contributors to the success of the
school. However, as the teachers commented, “the absence of a supervision system promotes poor
performance and even the best teachers will become careless.” All eyes are now on the education
department.

Promising Change Issues and Implications for Policy
ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY

The case studies highlight largely positive changes connected to the Whole School Development
programme within six schools in the Faisalabad district. While their focus ranges from improvement
in teaching methodology, attitudes and involvement, they also implicitly touch on other questions
regarding teaching and learning in general. This chapter looks at the kinds of questions and ideas that
the case studies raise, and how they may be generalised to incorporate the larger context of education.
It is not the purpose to provide answers to these questions, mainly because no definitive answers exist
that would be applicable in all situations. The objective is to allow for open-ended discussion, which
in turn may provide some solutions and can inform future policy and planning. The points discussed
below can also be used in courses or training in education, so that students may grapple with the
decisions and dilemmas confronted by individuals in the field of education.
Infrastructure
It is no secret that the learning environment plays a huge part in the overall success of a school.
Government or public schools, by and large, do not have the advantage of an environment that
facilitates learning; in fact, theirs is a case where the environment has to be, at best, overlooked for
any learning to happen. A question that therefore comes up is, how important is it to have a properly
constructed school? While ostensibly the answer is obvious, it is worthwhile to consider what exactly
a 'properly constructed school' entails. Is it, for example, necessary to have a separate room for each
class? In several primary schools there are only two or three teachers; the problems of navigating
from room to room are apparent. It is also important to consider the advantages of multi-grade
teaching whereby peer-mentoring is made possible.
The government policy dictates that there should be one teacher for every 40 students how does that
affect the infrastructure of a school? In fact this particular policy has serious repercussions that
impact the running of the school at every level. For each subsequent section of this chapter, this
particular policy must be kept in mind and its influence considered.
Sometimes the condition of rooms is such that they are dangerous and therefore utilised as storage
space. Other times teachers decide to use one room as an office rather than a classroom. This is, of
course, indicative of the need to include staff in the planning process so that their specific needs can
be met. The climate where schools are located is generally not considered in the architectural design
of schools: the original SAP model of two or more rooms and a veranda is followed. During visits for
the case studies, it was observed that teachers sometimes preferred to conduct classes outdoors
despite the availability of a room because the room was too cold, and/or dark. In summer rooms may
be too warm as many do not have fans. Provision of electricity is one step in the process, but that also
means functional equipment and affordable bills.
In many schools, funds are utilised first for the construction of a boundary wall and main gate. Toilets
are also constructed, but it was observed that they weren't really considered a priority. Often children
live close to the school or neighbouring houses allow the use of their toilets, usually to teachers. There
is the advantage of interaction between neighbours and teachers, but it is mainly an inconvenience,
particularly in the case of women teachers in boys' schools. Provision of water, too, is generally
limited to the single hand-pump. Although no study deals with the issue specifically, it may be safe to
assume that the dearth or absence of these facilities leads to issues of health and hygiene in the
schools, in addition to being terribly inconvenient for students and teachers.
The Classroom
Most of the schools visited did not have sufficient furniture. The case studies show that even floor

mats were no longer seen for students' use; this is the result of the new government policy that no
longer provides taatts for students' use. Usually there were just enough chairs for the teachers in the
school, and additional chairs were borrowed from neighbours when there were visitors. It is quite the
norm to ask a student to carry a chair from one place to another, as required. We are a long way from
including students in the planning and decision-making process in schools, but it might be an
interesting exercise to inquire whether students prefer floor-seating or benches. In one room at GPS
UC 37 in Jaranwala, low slanting tables were seen in one classroom, so that children sitting on the
ground had something on which to rest their books. That also tended to mean that they therefore sat in
rows and group-work became difficult. Teachers were rarely seen sitting on the ground with students,
but they did sit alongside on benches, where available, when working with them.
While teaching kits have been and are being provided, anxiety was expressed about maintaining the
condition of their contents. This is not just limited to the students handling them with care, but also
where to store them when not in use, their possible damage or theft. Wall-charts and stationery also
need to be put away on occasion, and again storage is a concern. In some of the schools, learning
materials made by teachers were not immediately available because they had to be brought from
somewhere. The condition of books is the students' responsibility, but who has the responsibility to
look after teaching aids? Without ready access to the materials, how feasible is it to expect teachers to
use them frequently? There were instances where student monitors or group leaders were assigned
the responsibility of distribution and collection of materials, but storage was still not addressed.
In three of the schools that were visited visible construction work was underway, and that did not
allow for specific infrastructure-related observations. In another school, there were plans for
whitewashing rooms and some construction in the near future. Many private or state initiatives with
regard to education are addressing the issue of infrastructure of schools in Faisalabad District, such as
the 'Matching Grant Scheme' by the SPU, the Private-Public Partnership Initiative and the Punjab
Rural Support Programme. It is commendable that they have undertaken the task, yet much more is
clearly possible before comfortable, if not ideal, learning environments can be created.
School Management and Administration
The case studies clearly emphasise the importance of the role of the Head Teacher. Given the current
setup in government primary schools, much of the decision-making and administration of the school
falls to the Head Teacher. This is often in addition to teaching where there aren't enough teachers in
the school. This person also has to maintain a healthy relationship between the school and the
community, as well as with the AEO. Where these relationships are difficult, the entire school suffers.
Similarly, it is up to the Head Teacher to build a strong team of teachers to ensure smooth running of
the school on a daily basis. Built-in hierarchies within any system can create problems pertaining to
authority: it can be misused or misinterpreted; it may be resented by subordinates; the person in
authority may not be able to exert it adequately; or, the person may exert it too much.
The question that arises, then, is to do with what should or shouldn't be within the job description of a
Head Teacher. The Head Teacher's training module compiled by the IoL, and the training provided by
them to Head Teachers includes the following:
l The concept of Whole School Development and its implementation

l The school environment, both internal and external
l School priorities
l Linking with the community and School Council members
l School-based data collection
l Devising a school development plan
l Problem faced by Head Teachers
l Persons and institutions impacting the school

l The meaning of change

l Managing change
l Issues in effective change
l Changes needed in the school, including process and sustainability
l Planning for change
l Change inside the school
l The meaning of discipline
l Requirements, rules and regulations of the Department of Education
l Quality of education
l Maintaining quality
l School administration
l Maintaining registers for enrolment, attendance, dropout, and cash books etc.
l Six days' subject-based teacher training
Given its comprehensive nature, Head Teachers who had received training from SPU generally
seemed clear about their role; nonetheless confusion in role-definition does arise. In the school in
Bhatta Colony, Faisalabad, the Head Teacher was hesitant to take any major decisions: teachers
hinted at the fact that Rs.2000 provided for stationery etc. had still not been disbursed even though
they had expressed their need. In the school in UC 37, Jaranwala, it appeared that the Head Teacher's
authority was challenged by school staff as well as the community: the reference to teachers spoiling
posters he made was a significant one in this regard. Obviously the school staff has certain
expectations of their Head Teacher, and where these are not met, their response can be negative.
Even though each individual Head Teacher's personality and approach varies, their ultimate
objective is to run the school. In the school in UC 25, Jaranwala, part of the means to achieve this end
was to ensure the appointment of the Head Teacher's friend in the same school, apparently not
through fair means. In UC 37, Jaranwala, the Head Teacher's brother was part of the teaching staff in
the school. One can infer that such appointments are to the advantage of the Head Teacher first, and
later, if at all, to the school. It may be that these 'allies' provide assistance in administration, but it is
equally likely that they cover for the Head Teacher's absences or inadequacies. Is it preferable to
overlook such license within the system by arguing that the ends justify the means?
The education system perpetuates the notion that the seniority of a teacher is somehow tied in to
teaching higher classes. A promotion for the Head Teacher of a primary school therefore means a
transfer to a middle school (Classes VI-VIII). What this attitude, in turn, leads to is a reluctance to
teach lower classes, which often results in Katchi class being ignored (this point is discussed further
under 'Pedagogy'). It also means that the experience and expertise of a teacher in primary education
has no bearing on the process. The question of whether the Head Teacher was performing
exceptionally because primary education was the domain where he or she excelled is completely
overlooked. That individual's promotion means that he or she will have to adapt to the specific
requirements of a middle school or else forgo the promotion: the latter is really not an option. In the
cases on girls' schools in Tandlianwala and UC 38 Jaranwala, both of which have two teachers each, it
is not the Head Teacher who is the more innovative of the two. The functioning of the schools is
harmonious despite this fact, but it is worth considering how the situation might vary if there was
professional rivalry in play.
The Head Teachers' training by SPU covers several aspects pertaining to their role and
responsibilities. However, it is the multi-dimensional nature of these that necessitates frequent
follow-up sessions. The 1:40 teacher-student ratio means that the Head Teacher has to manage a
delicate balancing act to allow for adequate student admissions leading to sufficient teachers in the
school. As the Head Teacher of UC 37, Jaranwala, stated, the effect of the training had already begun
to fade just three or four months after it. It might be extremely revealing to study the burn-out rate

among Head Teachers in government schools, and to see how that is manifested. Does it lead to more
absence from the school or delegation of responsibilities? Does it mean delay or inaccuracies in
paperwork, or does it strengthen relations with the AEO? Does it mean isolation from and apathy
about the community, including students' parents, or does it mean greater reliance on their support
and therefore greater involvement? Most importantly, how does it impact the relationship that the
Head Teacher has with his or her students, if indeed that does exist? In the case of the elementary
school in Samundari, clearly there was a positive relationship, because it was the Head Teacher's
former students that facilitated his transfer to the school where their children now studied.
The Community
The term 'community' has been used with reference to students' parents and family members, as well
as other people of the locality. Participation of the community is built into the Whole School
Development model but expectations need to be limited to what is possible given their poverty and
their work requirements. When a relationship of mutual regard and appreciation exists, the
community itself comes forward to participate in the development of the school. In the schools
visited for the case studies, there were varying levels of involvement: the strongest was with the boys'
school at UC 25 Jaranwala. There the improvement of the school occurred even at the cost of personal
requirements. The weakest was with the boys' school at UC 37 Jaranwala. It reinforces the point that
what the school gives back to the community is crucial, and simply the provision of education may
not be sufficient.
Parents in most places now have the choice of sending their children to private schools. While that
may cost them, they are basing the decision on certain factors of which the quality of education and
facilities provided are foremost. If education is free of cost but of less worth in their eyes, they may
prefer to bear the costs incurred by private schools. This can lead to a vicious circle whereby the
government schools' education deteriorates because it is perceived as less worthwhile. Strong
measures to address this issue have already been taken, such as the formation of Student Councils
with a community member as the chairperson and Head Teacher as co-signatory.
According to the Punjab Rural Support Programme (PRSP), the role of the School Councils includes
overall management and supervision of the school. To this end they will:
l Monitor attendance of teachers and students in the schools

l Make all efforts to improve the educational standards, planning, monitoring and evaluation in
all matters relating to the school
l Be the coordination hub between the school and the local communities
l Receive grants from the Provincial Government, PRSP or the District Government, as the
case may be, or from any other source
l Endeavour to build for the students' strong backward linkage towards the home and forward
linkage towards the society in which people are expected to perform multiple roles
l Endeavour to enhance awareness and understanding among parents that they have a vital role
to play in the provision of quality education
l Create awareness among the people involved to ensure optimum use of the educational
facilities being offered by the Provincial Govt and avail expertise of the community members
l Help to devise ways and means to decrease dropout ratio and teachers absenteeism in the
school
l Develop a congenial and harmonious relationship between parents and teachers, avoiding
bureaucratic rigidity on both sides
l Mobilize community resources for the improvement of the schools and for the benefits of the
students22.

To achieve all this, PRSP would provide active support. Again, however, sustainability is a question,
especially in terms of continuous involvement and returns on investment. Is far too much dependent
on the largesse of the community members? How realistic is it to expect this much, particularly from
communities that are constrained or resistant?
Teachers and Pedagogy
The focus of the SPU training was on pedagogy and the case studies show that it did translate to
impacting the schools to a greater or lesser degree. The first question that arises, however, is how
sustainable the impact is. There is a natural tendency to slip back into familiar and less taxing
teaching methods, especially if others in the school are not pushing for change. The cases revealed
that some teachers had adopted activity-based methods as the norm in their classes whereas others
reverted to or were simply more comfortable with lectures and memorisation. The next logical
question then is: how can the impact of the trainings be made sustainable? The Head Teacher at UC 37,
Jaranwala, felt that the only solution to this problem was to have frequent follow-up sessions and to
have random, unannounced checks on schools. Is that feasible, given that approximately 1000
primary school teachers from about 400 schools have received SPU's training in Faisalabad District?
Feasibility aside, it is worth looking at the concept of motivation. Why must the motivation to adopt
different methodologies and change one's attitude and perception be enforced by an external
inspector? Is it simply too idealistic to think that students' learning achievements will be sufficient
motivation to change? Some of the best teaching practices observed for the case studies were by
teachers who either considered teaching as a kind of service to society, or who gave the profession a
high status because religion says so. There were, in fact, frequent references to the value of the
teaching profession in Islam during teacher interviews; however, these references were made by
traditional and innovative teachers alike. In the same way, teachers who did not show a change in
pedagogy expressed a desire for their students to do well in their studies. Maybe there was a
difference between what 'doing well' entailed: for the traditional teachers it generally meant getting
good marks, but that does not preclude understanding the concept. What then caused some teachers
to change and not others?
Of course one must take into account the fact that teaching is sometimes the only available job and not
one that is a preference. In such cases it is a matter of making the most of the situation and not really
about wanting to change or for students to improve. Work must be done and that in itself is enough.
The fact that even a few of the concepts mentioned in the training were retained and implemented
then becomes an even greater achievement. Changes in attitude and the effort to avoid habitual
practices of scolding and punishment are even more commendable. Unfortunately, there is no
mechanism to recognise and acknowledge improvement, which would certainly be a motivating
factor if it existed. One might go so far as to say that it would be more of a motivating factor than
reprimand.
It is necessary to explore the bias towards higher classes, particularly where subject specialisation is
not that much of an issue. For example, if a teacher has the competence to teach English to Class V,
but has a manner better suited to Class I, which of the teacher's abilities should be utilised?
As mentioned earlier, teachers prefer not to teach Katchi and junior classes, particularly teachers with
higher qualifications. It is understandable that having a Master's degree in any subject means that
more opportunities are available to the person than to a person with Matriculation or Intermediate
(FA) degrees. Why then should they teach at the primary level, particularly if they are capable of
teaching the subject they studied at a higher level or getting a better paid job because of it?
Again, the 1:40 ratio must be kept in mind: junior classes are usually larger in size, and in some cases
very young children are enrolled in Katchi to make up sufficient numbers for the hiring of enough
teachers. Many primary schools have recently seen the induction of teachers with high qualifications

and there is some resentment among teachers with many more years of experience but lower
qualifications, like Matric or FA/PTC. Is there a way to address this issue within schools? Could it
affect the retention of teachers especially those on contract in government primary schools?
Considering that there will soon be fewer and fewer teachers with these obsolete qualifications, does
the issue even need to be addressed? Given the general perception that private schools whether rural
or urban are providing better education, comparative empirical evidence is required to test the
validity of this claim, especially in terms of terms of teaching methodology used in both.
All six cases include portions on the pedagogy observed in the schools, with particular emphasis on
instances of activity-based teaching. It may be too soon to say how effective it has been in terms of
students' learning achievement, but it is heartening to see its use. Attitudinal change is more difficult
to observe. No corporal punishment was observed during the visits but it is still a part of schooling,
especially in boys' schools. The cane was visible with teachers, and its presence served as enough of a
threat. It may be a while before it is completely banished. As mentioned in the section on
'Infrastructure', students are often required for menial tasks like the carrying of chairs for teachers, or
shifting of blackboards on stands, and even on occasion to make or serve tea. When dealing with
teacher attitude, it is important to touch on these points as well. In the absence of a school sweeper,
whose responsibility is it to keep the school clean? Students are often witnessed sweeping the school
premises; even if they are expected to do this work at home, is it acceptable to expect it of them at
school? Surely it is possible for teachers to gain their students' respect without expecting them to be
servile.
Gender Perspective
It is worth pointing out that corporal punishment, or the threat of it, is more common in boys' schools.
Teachers in girls' schools were gentler and more affectionate in their manner, and while tones were
occasionally harsh there were no canes in sight. Girls did not flinch or show signs of fear when
teachers approached them, particularly when they had responded incorrectly in class. In boys'
schools, as stated previously, the cane was visible: it lay on the desk or leaned against the wall, or was
used as a pointer by the teacher. Interviews with teachers included veiled comments about the
'necessity of punishment'. The teachers' tones and manner were sterner in boys' schools. For example,
in the boy's elementary school in Samundari, the only female teacher was tougher with students,
maybe because of the pressure to keep pace with the male teachers. The new government policy
allows women to teach at boys' schools; from a gender perspective this induction makes for a
fascinating study. If the case studies are divided into the three on girls' schools and three on boys'
schools, they reveal interesting differences as far as teaching methodology is concerned. Drawing,
for example, was not seen that often in boys' schools. Beyond Class II, in fact, there was little
evidence of methodology that engaged the boys in physical activity. This is ironic considering the
sheer energy of all children in that age-group. Photographs included in case-studies can be further
utilised for inferences, for example the pictures in boys' schools show the greater emphasis on
discipline, in terms of how they are seated or made to line up.
Students and Learning
All six schools showed evidence of elements of activity-based learning, at the very least students had
been exposed to it occasionally if not frequently. Critics of the approa4ch may question the emphasis
on it, but clearly students respond well to it. There were visible changes in engagement and body
language the moment the methodology was employed, no matter what the subject. Even those
students who were otherwise uninterested suddenly became attentive and even vocal. Is that enough
of a reason to insist on its implementation, or do grades as a measure of learning achievement remain
the definitive gauge?

It was also apparent that retention of concepts was better if students had learnt 'by doing'. This
includes comprehension of the concept as well as the ability to retrieve it even when questions
relating to it were not out of the textbook. It remains to be seen how this retention plays out in an
examination setting. It might well be that when it is time to prepare for exams the methods of revision
revert to rote-learning and memorisation. Again, it is important to question the role of examinations
as a measure of learning achievement. The system as it stands tends to penalise students whose
responses are not out of the book and these students do not really have the luxury of taking that risk.
At the same time, learning that occurs with understanding must not be undervalued. What then is the
best solution to this issue?
In the two-teacher school in Tandlianwala, students of the senior classes were seen supervising,
teaching and even checking other students' work. Is this a justifiable expectation? In what ways might
it impact the students who are placed in these positions, as well as those who are 'taught' by them? The
shortage of teachers and the 1:40 scenario is bound to create strategies to circumvent these problems.
In some situations innovative methods of multi-grade teaching and peer-mentoring have arisen, but
in others the innovations might have more shortcomings than advantages. Since the strategies are
invariably not devised by students, there is little surety that they will ultimately benefit from them.
Can we argue that students who learn from teachers who have received Whole School Development
training are fortunate simply because they were exposed to the methodology? The low drop-out rates
and improved attendance are testimony to the fact that both parents and students value the education
they are receiving, more than what it was previously. The added emphasis on improved teacher
attitudes is also more conducive to attendance. A longer study following the progress of students who
are exposed to the methodology throughout their primary education could be most revealing in terms
of the impact and advantages. Shorter comparative studies focusing on a particular subject or
language may also show what is working in this context.
It is stated under 'The Classroom' that we “are a long way from including students in the planning and
decision-making process in schools”. A related question is whether it is necessary to consider
students' perspectives when making decisions about schooling and pedagogy. How feasible or useful
would it be, for example, to have a focus group discussion with students during the needs assessment
phase of a project? It can be argued that the problems confronted by the education system are so
extensive that the exercise may simply be futile. It can also be argued that students who have had no
exposure to different teaching methodologies are in no position to say, with any authority, what might
work for them. On the other hand, it can be argued that when other stakeholders are consulted then
why not those who are the ultimate recipients of new projects and policies? How much credence is
given to their input is of course an entirely different question.

Promising Change Conclusion
CONCLUSION
Although the schools chosen for the case studies were identified by the IoL as 'successful schools', it
was up to each researcher to observe whether that was indeed the situation, and what 'success' meant
in each school. Similarly, it is up to the reader to determine what is working in these schools, and how
the information herein can be generalised to apply to different scenarios. The impact of the project is
apparent in all six schools, yet there are many more issues that are touched upon or inferred at by
analysis of these cases. It is hoped that other such publications will emerge that will contribute to the
rather lean body of literature on education in Pakistan.

OUR OTHER PUBLICATIONS
1 2
Managing Change Human Resource Management
for Improving Service Delivery for Good Governance
Learning to embrace the challenge of good governance Building local government capacity for effective service delivery
S.M. Khatib Alam S. M. Khatib Alam

Karin Tang David Alan Watson
March 2008 Mahmood Akhtar March 2008 Muhammad Shahid Alvi
Self-
Actualization
Esteem
(self and others)
Social Needs
Safety and Security
Basic Physiological Needs
City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan
3 4 5
Financial Management Union Council Profiling Communications
for Good Governance & Service Mapping for Good Governance
From Deficit to Surplus For Pro-poor Planning & Investment Building local government capacity for effective service delivery
S.M. Khatib Alam S.M. Khatib Alam

S.M. Khatib Alam Janet Gardener Nadir Ehsan
March 2008 Imran Yousafzai March 2008 Muhammad Tariq March 2008 Humaira Khan
150
100
50
Rs. Millions
-50
-100
-150
FY 2004-05 FY 2005-06 FY 2006-07 FY 2007-08 Projected FY 2008-09 Projected FY 2009-10 Projected
City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan
6 7 8 9
Citizen Voice in Local Governance Citizen Engagement Promising Change Measuring Change
The Citizen Perception Survey in Local Governance Six Case Studies on Whole School Development the education research component
S.M. Khatib Alam S.M. Khatib Alam

Sumara Khan Muhammad Tariq
March 2008 Mehreen Hosain March 2008 Mehreen Hosain March 2008 Dr. Fareeha Zafar March 2008 Dr. Fareeha Zafar
TS
ES
ER
INT ER
ITY ETH
UN OG
OMM ING T ER
GC T TH
TIN
AC OGE
OR GT
PP IDIN ION
SU DEC ULTAT
S
CON
G
SHARIN
M ATION
INFOR
City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan
10 11 12 13
Teacher Training Public Private Partnership Management Information Systems Enabling Joined-Up Government
in Whole School Development in Education: from Policy to Implementation in Local Government Introducing Geographic Information System
Change and Transformation as a Reflective Process Value Addition and Best Practices Changing the dynamics of governance through ICTs
S.M. Khatib Alam Dr. Umar Saif

Nadir Ehsan Muntazir Mehdi
March 2008 Brigid Smith March 2008 Beala Jamil March 2008 Kashif Abbas March 2008 Gul Hafeez Khokhar
City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan
All case studies including other reports can be downloaded from the web site: http://www.faisalabad.gov.pk
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Fareeha Zafar - Education Consultant
Dr. Fareeha Zafar has a doctorate in Geography from School of Oriental & African
Studies, University of London, UK. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Department of
Geology & Geography, at the Vassar College, New York, USA in 1991 and a Fulbright
Post-doctoral Scholar, Institute of Urban & Regional Development, University of
California, Berkeley, USA in 1985-86.
Dr. Zafar is a founder member of the Society for the Advancement of Education (SAHE)
Lahore-Pakistan set up in 1982 and has been its Director for the last 13 years. Dr. Zafar
has been a key member of the SDLGF Education project team since 2004.
City District Government Faisalabad
DCO Office, Near Iqbal Stadium
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92 (0) 41 9200205

Fax: +92 (0) 41 9200206
E-mail: email@faisalabad.gov.pk
Internet: http://www.faisalabad.gov.pk

2nd Floor, DCO Office
Near Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Pakistan
Tel: +92 (0) 419201256
Fax: +92 (0) 419201257
E-mail: email@spu.com.pk
Internet: http://www.spu.com.pk
Management Consultants
GHK International Ltd.
526 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5NR
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 74718000
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7736 0784
E-mail: email@ghkint.com
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Internet: http://www.ghkpak.com

08 - Promising Change Six Case Studies On Whole School Development

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8

March 2008 Dr. Fareeha Zafar

City District Government Faisalabad, Pakistan

(c) SDLGF March 2008

Printed by: FaizBakht Printers, The Mall, Jhang (Punjab) Pakistan.

2. A COMING TOGETHER OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

4. A SCHOOL THAT'S HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

5. A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING

6. A VIBRANT TWO-TEACHER SCHOOL

ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY 44

City District Government Faisalabad Page i

City District Government Faisalabad Page ii

City District Government Faisalabad Page 1

Specific aims of the Education Component include:

l Improving educational management, monitoring and administration of elementary and

Aims of the Research Component were:

l Changing the school from the inside and outside

To this end the objectives of the training programme were to:

l Mobilize communities to take interest and support their school

City District Government Faisalabad Page 2

l Provide feedback for trainings, professional development and management

City District Government Faisalabad Page 3

1. Government Girls Primary School, 547 GB Union Council 94, Tandlianwala

City District Government Faisalabad Page 4

1.0 AN EXCEPTIONAL TEACHER

In a small far-off village in the south-western

A contract teacher, Umme Kalsoom has been

“I would never have been able to teach the way I

City District Government Faisalabad Page 5

November 2007. She acknowledged the

Kulsoom's enjoyment of teaching transferred

Kulsoom also invites the four senior classes to

City District Government Faisalabad Page 6

Speaking and writing in English a compulsory

Kulsoom has given responsibility of

Another strategy unique to this school was the

City District Government Faisalabad Page 7

time Kulsoom would gather them near the wall

Once the teacher had explained the new topic to

The Head Teacher

The classroom environment

With the school undergoing some construction

City District Government Faisalabad Page 8

Lack of human resources is made up by the

Impact of the community

Kulsoom's commitment to the school and

City District Government Faisalabad Page 9

City District Government Faisalabad Page 10

2. 0 A COMING TOGETHER OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

The success of the school is essentially

In this locality, the community has made

City District Government Faisalabad Page 11

trying to solve these collectively. The school is

After the training, in which both head teacher

The program has successfully recognized the

Instead of boundary wall, a hedge of thatched

City District Government Faisalabad Page 12

Teaming up for quality

There are a total of three teachers for six classes

City District Government Faisalabad Page 13

Learning is taking place

As one of the teacher's said, “during the days of

Other students were engrossed in writing on the