UGOOD Signed MOU with Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training, Government of Pakistan for "Ensuring the Basic Education for Disadvantaged"
UGOOD signed MOU with Ministry of Education and Professional Training, Government of Pakistan for "Ensuring the Basic Education for Disadvantaged" Project at Directorate General of Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) in Johir Town, Lahore on April 10, 2015.
Basic Education Community Schools Program (BECS) is a successor of earlier Non-Formal Basic Education project, started originally in 1995. Establishment of Non-Formal Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) for out of school children is an innovative initiative taken by Pakistan. The Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, Government of Pakistan through Directorate General of Basic education Community Schools is running the nation-wide Non-Formal Primary Education Program in all provinces and regions of Pakistan, named as “Establishment and Operation of Basic Education Community Schools in the Country” (BECS). Main objective of BECS Project is to Strengthen non-formal approach to supplement formal education, for eradication of illiteracy and achievement of Universal Primary Education (UPE) as envisaged by Constitution of Pakistan’s Article 25-A, and in MDGs, by extending free, flexible and modern basic education opportunities to out-of-school children and youth, having no access to formal system of education, especially disadvantaged children, girls and special children, for an equitable society. Pakistan has designed a National Plan of Action to accelerate implementation strategies which will ensure maximum progress in achieving MDGs education related goals.
The National Plan of Action estimates a total of 6.2 million primary aged Out-Of-Schools Children (OOSC) during 2013-16. As per the Plan strategy, 5.1 million children will be enrolled during 2013-16. The issue of remaining 1.1 million children has not been addressed in the Action Plan. As the state is responsible to educate these out of school children and is legally bound to give them opportunity of getting basic education. Hence it is proposed that the remaining 1.1 million children that have not been included in National Plan of Action may be catered for by Directorate General of Basic Education Community Schools, by establishing additional 36,666 Basic Education Community Schools in addition to the already planned/ allocated 16,891 BECS. Keeping in view the above situation, establishment and operation of Basic Education Community Schools is the best option, due to its mandate, design and through Non-Formal Education system, to make accelerated efforts to achieve the UPE/ MDG targets by educating Out-of-School-Children and increasing literacy rate.
The Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, Government of Pakistan through Directorate General of Basic Education Community Schools has engage local NGOs for monitoring and supervision of these schools toward achievement of goals. UGOOD is providing its services of monitoring, support for increase of enrolment and decrease in retention, administrative support for schools management and exams conduction in Gujranwala Division, Punjab.