1. Improving Education Governance and Learning Outcomes through Citizen Led Campaigns The Case of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Pakistan Presented at the 11 th UKFIET International Conference By Baela Raza Jamil (Director Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi) Suwaibah Mansoor (Research Associate ITA) Ravish Amjad (Research Associate ITA)

2. Introduction Discusses how CSO/citizen led campaigns gathering hard core evidence can influence governance The Annual Status Education Report (ASER) Pakistan- A citizen campaign for accountability initiated through unique border crossings between Pakistani and Indian educators Case studies from rural Pakistan-Chalo Parrho Barrho (Lets Read and Grow) initiative Discusses how CSO/citizen led campaigns gathering hard core evidence can influence governance The Annual Status Education Report (ASER) Pakistan- A citizen campaign for accountability initiated through unique border crossings between Pakistani and Indian educators Case studies from rural Pakistan-Chalo Parrho Barrho (Lets Read and Grow) initiative

3. Rise of Civil Society Organizations Growth of CSOs The non-profit sector now provides 40% of all health care and education services in Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya. India is estimated to house more than one million NGOs The number of registered NGO’s in Pakistan is around 100,000 Critical factors Government’s supply side failures – Economic Crisis -1980s and 1990s – Conflict and Natural Disasters Constitutional and Policy Shifts – Decentralization (18 th Amendment Act 2010) – Right to Education (25A) – Donor Activism blended partnerships (Govt. and CSOs) Growth of CSOs The non-profit sector now provides 40% of all health care and education services in Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya. India is estimated to house more than one million NGOs The number of registered NGO’s in Pakistan is around 100,000 Critical factors Government’s supply side failures – Economic Crisis -1980s and 1990s – Conflict and Natural Disasters Constitutional and Policy Shifts – Decentralization (18 th Amendment Act 2010) – Right to Education (25A) – Donor Activism blended partnerships (Govt. and CSOs)

4. Role of CSO’s in Social Accountability and Governance A core function of the CSOs is to exact accountability from the state when it is unresponsive to the needs of its citizens. Top-down vs. Bottom-up approach to accountability Evidence Based Inquiry Examples – Banglore Score Card – Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC) – Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) A core function of the CSOs is to exact accountability from the state when it is unresponsive to the needs of its citizens. Top-down vs. Bottom-up approach to accountability Evidence Based Inquiry Examples – Banglore Score Card – Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC) – Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)

5. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Rural ASER is a nationwide citizens’ audit of education (2010-2015) Need for ASER Goals and Objectives I.Obtain reliable and regular estimates of the status of children’s schooling and basic learning (reading and arithmetic level) at the household/ district levels; II.Mobilize citizens to engage in district wide initiatives to understand how well children are learning or otherwise III.Increase citizen pressure on the government and other duty bearers, using ASER findings, for improving learning levels of school children ASER 2010 – 32 rural districts of Pakistan – 18,000 households – 54,062 children surveyed (3-16 yrs) – 852 Public Schools and 445 Private Schools – 19,915 mothers surveyed ASER 2011 ASER is a nationwide citizens’ audit of education (2010-2015) Need for ASER Goals and Objectives I.Obtain reliable and regular estimates of the status of children’s schooling and basic learning (reading and arithmetic level) at the household/ district levels; II.Mobilize citizens to engage in district wide initiatives to understand how well children are learning or otherwise III.Increase citizen pressure on the government and other duty bearers, using ASER findings, for improving learning levels of school children ASER 2010 – 32 rural districts of Pakistan – 18,000 households – 54,062 children surveyed (3-16 yrs) – 852 Public Schools and 445 Private Schools – 19,915 mothers surveyed ASER 2011

6. ASER 2010-Learning Levels (6-16yrs) Grade 5 Learning levels Urdu Story52% English Sentences 42% Division34%

7. ASER Impact ASER Pakistan 2010 – Pakistan Economic Survey 2010-2011 – Global Monitoring Report 2011 – Pakistan Education Task Force- ‘March for Education Report 2011’ – PERI- ‘Research Dimensions of Privatization in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh’ – 'The 'Shadow' Education Sector in India and Pakistan: the determinants, benefits and equity effects of private tutoring‘ – SchoolTELLs; Improving the quality of learning in South Asia ASER Pakistan 2010 – Pakistan Economic Survey 2010-2011 – Global Monitoring Report 2011 – Pakistan Education Task Force- ‘March for Education Report 2011’ – PERI- ‘Research Dimensions of Privatization in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh’ – 'The 'Shadow' Education Sector in India and Pakistan: the determinants, benefits and equity effects of private tutoring‘ – SchoolTELLs; Improving the quality of learning in South Asia

8. SchoolTELLS Pakistan CompetencyGetting answer:StudentTeacher Maths% Division (927÷9)Completely right3382 Completely wrong4613 Complex multiplicationCompletely right536 Completely wrong8132 Fractions & problem solvingCompletely right656 Completely wrong8324 Language DefinitionsCompletely right1149 Completely wrong5117 Summarising paragraphCompletely right854 Completely wrong8121 Explaining difficult wordsCompletely right1164 Completely wrong587 120 rural schools in 3 districts of Punjab Aslam and Kingdon (2011)

9. ASER Evidence to ASER Action Chalo Parrho Barrho (CPB)-Let’s Read and Grow is a learning enhancement program mobilized and implemented by citizens in response to the results of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2010) The program targets : In-school children Improve learning levels of enrolled children in grades 1-5, who are risk of dropping out. Out of school children Catch up learning program to bring out of school children to a learning level where they can be mainstreamed into the formal school system. Chalo Parrho Barrho (CPB)-Let’s Read and Grow is a learning enhancement program mobilized and implemented by citizens in response to the results of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2010) The program targets : In-school children Improve learning levels of enrolled children in grades 1-5, who are risk of dropping out. Out of school children Catch up learning program to bring out of school children to a learning level where they can be mainstreamed into the formal school system.

11. CBP Successes (Intended and Unintended) Improved Learning Levels Increase in School Enrolment Head Teachers became conscious of their duties and started using resources for children’s benefits : fans, drinking water, repairs, reconstitution of SMCs with parent participation All this in just 12 weeks! Scaled up campaign launched on 8 th September, 2011 targeting 50,000 children Improved Learning Levels Increase in School Enrolment Head Teachers became conscious of their duties and started using resources for children’s benefits : fans, drinking water, repairs, reconstitution of SMCs with parent participation All this in just 12 weeks! Scaled up campaign launched on 8 th September, 2011 targeting 50,000 children

12. Conclusion Bold technical initiatives in a campaign mode by CSOs with scaled up approaches for diagnosis, causality and action They emerge from a commitment to measurable impact for demonstrable accountability Can these be sustained with rigor over time? Will this lead to mobilization of political will and adequate resourcing for education? Will this become a basis of the proposed new global compact for new partnerships towards enhanced learning/quality improvement? Bold technical initiatives in a campaign mode by CSOs with scaled up approaches for diagnosis, causality and action They emerge from a commitment to measurable impact for demonstrable accountability Can these be sustained with rigor over time? Will this lead to mobilization of political will and adequate resourcing for education? Will this become a basis of the proposed new global compact for new partnerships towards enhanced learning/quality improvement?

13. Thank You www.safedafed.org itacec@gmail.com suwaibah.aser@itacec.org Thank You www.safedafed.org itacec@gmail.com suwaibah.aser@itacec.org