SMC by submitting an application to the school principal. Any complaints regarding the functionality of the SMC can be r
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
IMPROVING YOUR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION PUNJAB
Everyone has a part to play when it comes to improving education in Pakistan’s government schools. You, as a parent, have the opportunity and the ability to improve your child’s learning experience. Here are some ways to help: 1 Talk to your children
Talking to your children is an essential step in improving their learning experience. If you are unable to read and write to the level your child needs, ask neighbours, friends or family members to help out , or speak to other parents to help you come up with ways to get your child the extra help they need.
1 Encourage your children to discuss any problems that they are facing in school with you 2 Help your children with these problems (classwork, homework, distress, teachers, etc.) 3 Make sure that your children finish their homework every day 4 Encourage your children to read books 5 Find your closest library and visit it with your children as often as possible 6 Form a study group with other parents and children (getting together with other students to study in a group) 7 Encourage your children to help each other with their homework
2 Talk to your children’s teachers
Teachers make an enormous difference to the quality of education your children receive. Described below are some ways to engage with teachers in government schools:
1
Attend all Parent-Teacher meetings
2
Recognize and appreciate the teachers’ efforts in school and their contribution to your children’s education
3
Offer to volunteer (for example art activities, student weeks, field trips) at your children’s schools
4 Encourage teachers to improve their knowledge and teaching skills and ask how you can help them do so 5 Discuss your children’s progress in schools and their weaknesses and ask how you can help improve them 6 Ask teachers how you can help your children perform better in school 7 Communicate the problems your child faces in the class with her/his teacher
3 Join School Management Committees
School Management Committees (SMCs) are a way for you to get involved in the management of your children’s schools and help improve the education that they receive at a more formal level. In order to encourage parents to help in the education management of schools the Government of the Punjab has created the platform of SMCs, allowing parents to improve administration and learning in government schools. Members include parents, local male/female councilors, teachers and community volunteers. School principals serve as the Chairpersons of SMCs, each of which will have two co-signatories, a representative from parents and another from teachers of the school. SMCs in Punjab serve at the Primary, Middle and High school levels. Any parent who has a child enrolled into the school can become a member of the SMC by submitting an application to the school principal. Any complaints regarding the functionality of the SMC can be reported to the concerned District Monitoring Officer (DMO).
SMCs assist school authorities in the following areas: A Financial affairs
The School Education Department, Government of the Punjab allocates non-Salary Budget (NSB) to schools. The NSB is a need-based fund, which is allocated according to the number of students enrolled in a school. The NSB fund is in addition to the salaries or development funds for schools. It is transferred on a quarterly basis into school accounts after approvals from the EDOs Education and Finance & Planning have been obtained. School Management Committees monitor the progress of all development and repair work in the school and utilise these NSB funds to improve learning experiences – they can even hire temporary teachers. SMCs are encouraged to utilise these funds to cover for the missing facilities in their schools; unutilised funds will not be returned to the government.
B Administrative and development affairs
A fundamental objective for SMCs is to encourage the enrolment of all out-of-school children and to make sure the factors contributing to the drop-out of students are curbed. Similarly, they focus on the attendance of students and teachers and, in cases of continued absence, can officially report a teacher to the concerned monitoring officers from education department. SMCs also monitor the progress of repairs and construction of classrooms, and the purchase of furniture, office and laboratory equipment. Finally, SMCs also focus on the quality of education imparted at the schools and can use its funds to facilitate the educational activities as requested by students and teachers.
4 Make your voice heard
As a citizen and voter, you have the right to a free and compulsory quality education for your children. If your children are not receiving the quality education they deserve, you must make your voice heard by those responsible by taking one or more of the following measures:
1
Speak to other parents of students enrolled in the same school about any problems/issues
2
Write to the Education Managers (EDO)
3
Take the matter(s) up with the members of the SMC and the School's Headmaster/mistress
4
Share your concerns with the local government representatives (UC, Tehsil and District levels)
5
Always take a candidates’ education mandate into account before casting your vote
6
Look up Civil Society Organisations to help organise protests and meetings for persistent problems
7
Contact your local media offices and journalists to report persistent problems
8
Look up Complaint Management Systems in your province and utilise them (find a list by province at the end of this document)
9
Enquire about non-salary and School specific budget from your district Finance department
10
Talk to your MPA and MNA regarding problems in the school(s)
Complaint mechanisms: 1
Program Monitoring and Implementation Unit
2
Chief Minister’s Online Complaint system
The PMIU website allows you to look up schools in your area, check their available data and submit any complaints that you may have or report incorrect information. http://open.punjab.gov.pk/schools/
The CM Punjab allows you to submit complaints directly to his office through this website: http://www.cmpunjab.gov.pk/OCC/UI/OnlineComplaint.aspx
