A school with an opinion

This wasn’t a particularly needy school. Nor was it very poor in comparison to other schools in the area or in Pakistan. This school was a window on education in Northern Pakistan and the problems the area faces.

In reaction to my arrival the school children had lined up in two rows leading from the playground steps to the first classroom. They formed a sort of corridor that I was forced through and showered with petals along the way. I asked how many other ‘distinguished’ guests visited each year. The reply was ten.

But the reception was lovely and shows the attitude of the people here to any kind of guest be it the Prime Minister or a scruffy horse rider from England . The chief coordinator of this school visit was Shamalaal, field education officer for the Aga Khan Education Service (AKES) branch in Hunza valley. The AKES operate this school.

The Aga Khan is the spiritual leader of the Ismailies, the predominant religion of Hunza and of much of Pakistan ’s Northern Areas. Although some schools were opened in the early twentieth century, the real push has been since the fifties. Then the prior Aga Khan, recognizing the need, set up an educational institution to encourage learning and promote the development of the people of North Pakistan . It has been an uphill struggle ever since. This school visit showed how previous problems have been overcome, what the present issues are and what the future holds for Northern Pakistan.

With the children assembled I gave a great show. After telling the story of my ride and my own background the kids quickly answered questions on the story they’d heard. They won pens (specially imported from Bolton in the UK) and a few of the courageous ones rode on Sparks, my riding mare. We then covered the children’s future. But stop! Why were these children different? What made them different to virtually every other school I’ve visited so far? These students had an opinion!!

Each child genuinely answered what their favourite subject was. There was never a need for one child to copy another which always happens in other schools. Urdu, Maths and English! What do you want to be when you get older? Ten examples named. Doctor, lawyer, actor, engineer and soldier. Each child had a personality. Each one even had a favourite city in Pakistan.

This school wasn’t a private school nor some upstart Government school. This school is run in conjunction with the community who, it seems, have the greater say in its running. AKES provide training to the teachers and community as well eighty percent of the costs. The community must put up the remainder. There is a strict parent-teacher committee to ensure all have an equal partnership in the running of the institution. All parents must also pay 100 Rs per month for their child to attend. The general plan is to hand the running of the school over to the Community in the next twenty years.

Looking around DJ school, Garelth was like looking around a school in the West. Each classroom wall was adorned with alphabet letters and multiplication tables. The creativity of the children was further stimulated through painting and drawings. The teachers are also constantly motivated. Surrounding the staffroom were progress charts and statistics on the school. Little signs in English were plastered haphazardly around; “Read to your children, listen to your children,” “Be the first to say hello,” “Don’t be afraid to say, I’m sorry.” English offers the children the best opportunities in the future world.

What really impressed me was that the school wasn’t just educating the children it was educating the community at large. The parents of these students can see the progress made and for the first time visibly recognize the potential of their own offspring ?€“ The pass rate in 2005 was 96%. This makes them want to learn as well. DJ Garelth was a focal point for the area. Case in point: the caretaker of the school was a fulltime mother of a four children. Yet she was so keen to earn the fee to keep her children at the school, she became its’ caretaker.

The potential of this system is undeniable. When I was young, my parents had the impetus to place wall charts, learning materials around my room at home. Thus will the parents of these children begin to do so. Across Northern Pakistan the AKES have opened up hundreds of Diamond Jubilee (DJ) schools like this one. In Nagar valley alone there are 23 female only schools. Yet, as always there are hurdles.

A struggle to make ends meet

People are poor in the mountainous areas where life is harder than on the plains. Staple items like rice, dal and tea are more expensive and it’s a greater struggle to make ends meet. People are more concerned about day to day life, than the long term future of their children or the region. School dropouts are a major problem (especially for boys) as parents view only a minimum education as a sufficient one. Girls may not even get a chance. However, such schools like DJ Garelth are a beacon of hope. In many parts of Pakistan , parents aren’t even given a choice about the education of their children or probably don’t even know about it. Many parents in remote areas view education as a waste of time, simply because they don’t see the value of it.

It’s a slow process. As more schools open, more students go onto graduate and more skilled labour enters a region. I understood in Nagar that the investment that a graduate makes in his home region is infinitely worth more than the money needed to get him adegree. As the skill base of an area increases so does its prosperity and development. Education is the key and schools like Garelth help that future come a little bit closer.

NEEDS:

Over the coming two years, Diamond Jubilee (DJ) School Garelth will be upgraded to a Middle School as the school curriculum expands to include classes six, seven and eight. At the time of writing, three new classrooms and a computer room were being completed but two more classrooms are still needed. Future funding from the AKES is uncertain and if you can help in anyway, please contact as stated below.