'SEF ensuring provision of quality education'

The quality of education implies people's worldview and their sense of collective living; hence the standards of assessing quality should be related. The aim of Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) is to provide quality education to all, a representative of SEF said, here on Monday.
SEF was established in 1992 as a semi-government organisation for undertaking educational plan in the disadvantaged areas of Sindh. At the time of its establishment, SEF only provided grants and loans to educational institutes and organisations to run them on qualitative lines, but now helps organisations to open schools in the remote areas of Sindh with the help of different programmes.
SEF keeps a vigilant eye on its programmes through its monitoring teams. These teams keep a check on the implementation of SEF rules at schools and improvement in children and if any organisation is found below the required standard or rules and regulations, their registration is cancelled. The official, however, denied replying as to what happens to the children of that specific school. He said that SEF is successfully running almost nine programmes under its umbrella. The aim of these programmes is to provide quality education to under privileged children. SEF is working in collaboration with Sindh Government and World Bank, he added.
Elaborating, he said Adopt-a-School-Programme (AASP) is a programme to revive government schools in Sindh. It started in 1998. Right now, 300 schools are being run by private entrepreneurs under the programme. Similarly, Child-Labour-Education-Programme (CLEP) was started in 2000 to provide educational and recreational opportunities to working children. Child Development Centre in Shershah is the primary operating unit of 300 children of CLEP. Early Learning Programme (ELP) was started in 2008 within 150 government schools with the aim to improve early education through qualitative reforms and increase participation in targeted areas. Integrated Education Learning-Programme (IELP) aims to establish greater public private partnerships for increasing access to and improving the quality of educational services for children across the Sindh.
Improving-Quality-of-Education-Programme (IQEP) is a recent addition in SEF portfolio funded by philanthropists. It is running in 30 schools of Hyderabad Cluster. Promoting Private Schooling in Rural Sindh Project (PPRS) is a government-partnered programme in collaboration of World Bank. It basically supports establishment and management of 1,000 private schools in destitute localities in 10 districts of Sindh. Under this programme, private schools established by entrepreneurs are provided 350 to 450 rupees subsidy per child every month.
Rural-Based-Community-Schools-Project (RBCS) was started in 2007-08. It extends quality educational facilities to 15,000 direct beneficiaries comprising students, teachers, parents and NGO staff through the 250 schools established in 10 districts of Sindh. Releasing-Confidence-and-Creativity (RCC) is an attempt by educationists, professors, teachers, professionals, parents and children to provide a good start of life in terms of appreciation, opportunities, nutrition and health care. Women-Literacy-and-Empowerment-Programme (WLEP) was started in 2001. It provides disadvantaged adult women with educational and self-development opportunities and contributes to their process of empowerment.
The official said that SEF is working with OUP, New Century Publications, Gaba etc and others, instead of Sindh Text Book Board. It is following the curricula of STBB but using books of private publishers because these are more elaborated and brainstormed than the one offered by the board.