REPORT ON: THE CAPACITY BUILDING OF VILLAGE EDUCATION COMMITTEES

Introduction

Parents are considered as one of the most important stakeholders of the school. Many research studies reveal that when parents are involved in children’s education, children perform better in schools. There are several benefits of parental involvement in schools which include higher students’ achievements, better attendance and positive behavior. Keeping in view the importance of parental involvement in schools, Iqra Fund has formed Village Education Committees (VECs) as representatives of parents in the schools. VECs are considered as the formal link between school and parents in the school.

Iqra Fund has therefore, given significant space in parental involvement in its community education support program. To enhance the capacities of the parents Iqra fund organizes many short courses and long courses on need basis from time to time. During the academic year 2015, Iqra Fund organized one day training course for each VEC in April and May 2015 of its project schools. The main purpose of this training course was to aware them about their roles and responsibilities so that they could performance their services in a better way. Total Nine training sessions conducted in different villages in the valleys of Basha, Basho and Hushe. In each cohort, there were six to nine VEC members from qra Fund supporting schools. Overall more than 70 VEC members attended the training course.

This report includes aims/objectives, themes, teaching and learning methods and outcomes of course. The report also consists of achievements, challenges, recommendations and conclusion of the training course.

Objectives of the Course

The course facilitator expected that after the training, course participants will be able to:

·         Re-conceptualize the term Village Education Committee

·         Review the progress of VECs’ during 2014

·         Discuss the roles and responsibilities of VECs

·         Identify challenges and their possible solutions while performing roles and responsibilities of VECs

·         Share the role of parents in Child development

·         Develop an action plan of VEC for the year 2015

·         Develop a ToR between VEC and Iqra Fund

Themes Covered

Following topics/themes were covered during the sessions. Weekly plan is also attached with the report (See annexure B)

·         Stakeholders of a school

·         Success stories of VECs

·         Roles and responsibilities of VECs

·         Role of Parents in child development

·         Action planning

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course facilitators used effective training and learning methods to share the content of the training course. The bellow list shows some of the instructional strategies used during the training course.

·         Brainstorming before starting new topic

·         Success stories

·         Presentations

·         Group discussion

·         Lectures/talks

·         Questions/answers

·         Individual and group presentations

Outcomes of the course

At the end of each training course, most of the objectives were achieved. Some of key outcomes of the training course are:

Re-conceptualize the term Village Education Committee

            In a discussion, all the course participants were asked what is a village education committee? All the course participants gave their thoughts about village education committee but majority of the CPs were not familiar with the term village education committee. The course facilitator shared that there are different stakeholders of a school for examples, teachers, students, parents and school organization. The Village Education Committee is representative committee of parents who work for betterment of the school. They are the formal link between parents and school. There are six to nine members in each VEC. 

Progress Report of VECs during 2014

The course participants were asked to share their progress report of the academic year 2014. CPs worked in group and prepared a presentation on their progress. One of the CPs presented their progress report with the whole group. Each VEC has done marvelous job during last academic year. It was felt that only it needs to be organized and keep proper record of their progress. In a formal discussion it was come to know that they had forgotten some of their key achievements because they did not have any proper record of their achievements. Some of the key achievements of VECs are as under:

Roles and responsibilities of VECs

It was the most important activities of the training course. In a group activity, the CPs were provided a chart to write some of their roles and responsibilities according to their understanding. CPs shared some of their roles and responsibilities with the whole group. Then course facilitator shared a comprehensive presentation on roles and responsibilities of VECs. He also briefed about how each role can be performed in a better way. He gave different examples from society and from effective VECs.

Challenges faced while performing roles and responsibilities of VECs

In a brain storming activity, the CPs were asked to share some of the challenges they might face while performing their roles and responsibilities. The CPs share that time would be the most important factor to perform their roles and responsibilities of VEC. Another factor would be the lack of educational awareness among parents, poverty and lack of educated people in VEC etc.

The CPs were asked what would be the alternative solutions of these challenges. The course facilitator discussed each point one by one and found a reasonable solution with the help of course participants. For example, the solution for time factor would be that by turn the VEC members can visit the school. It is not necessary to visit the school daily by all members. In this way each factor was discussed and found its solution.

Role of Parents in Child Development

One of the most important roles of VECs is to aware parents about importance of education. Therefore, CPs were asked to share their understanding about what would be the role of parents in child development. After a group discussion, the CPs shared their understanding about the role of parents in their children’s development. Then course facilitator shared specific tips to the CPs on what are the key roles of parents in their child development. This activity was very important that VEC would convey this message to parents in different meetings or occasions.

Action Plan for the year 2015

The VEC members were asked that you have done a wonderful job during 2014 like that what will you do during academic year 2015. VECs were asked to develop an action plan for the year 2015. In a group activity each VEC developed an action plan for the academic year 2015 and presented with the whole group. Their action plan was also recorded so that it would be easy to follow-up during the academic year by Iqra Fund staff.

ToR between VEC and Iqra Fund

Each year Iqra Fund develops a ToR with VEC to make them responsible about their administrative roles and responsibilities. The managing director of Iqra Fund shared ToR with the VECs and briefed about each and every point mentioned in the document. He gave an opportunity to ask any question if they have related to this topic.  After a discussion in each point and question-answers on each point both the parties signed the paper and provided one copy for VEC and one copy for Iqra Fund record.

Achievements

·         Majority of the VEC members were provided trainings of Iqra Fund schools  

·         All participants agreed the importance Village Education Committee in school development.

·         Majority of the course participants agreed and reflected that they were not aware about their roles and responsibilities. They promised to play their active role in giving awareness about importance of education to parents.

·         All of them came with consensus that it is not the responsibility of teachers and organization to educate their children. Parents have also an important role to play in their children’s education.

Challenges

The course facilitators faced some challenges during the training course. Some of the noteworthy challenges were:

·         Majority of the CPs were not educated therefore it was very difficult to explain them each and every point.

·         As these sessions were conducted in villages. The CPs were busy with their domestic work therefore, it was difficult to engage them for a full day session.

·         The VECs were not formed before this training course therefore; it was difficult to start training course with new members of VECs.

·         Food arrangements were not sufficient in some villages for the course participants.

Recommendations

·         Some video clips could also be added on VECs activities and achievements which allow course participants to discuss and reflect on their own practices.

·         I recommend successive two days face-to-face sessions for more clarity of different concepts and participants’ positive attitude towards their roles and responsibilities.

·         Such training sessions should be conducted for large group of parents because some time VEC cannot convey the important message to the parents.

·         A field visit would be useful to understand how VECs enacts in schools.

Conclusion

The training course came to an end successfully and all the objectives were achieved. The course participants considerably changed their understanding about roles and responsibilities of VECs. One of the participants commented that before this session he believed that VEC does not have any major role in school development but after attending this course he came to know that VECs are main pillar of the school. The course participants reflected that parental awareness is very important for child education once parents are aware about the importance of education then it means half battle is win.

I would like to thank the Managing Director Baltistan for his cooperation and helping attitude towards these training courses. You were physically present in each session and throughout these sessions. Your presence helped me to carry out the training courses more efficiently and input during the training course was very helpful. I must appreciate the field officer Mohammad Hussain Pasha for his excellent job while arranging these training sessions. His arrangements for the training course were superb he invited all the course participants on time. I also pay my special gratitude to the operations officers Saleem Abbas for his all possible arrangement for this training course.