ALIF AILAAN UPDATE May 2015
May at Alif Ailaan
• Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015 – Highlighting disparities between districts and provinces • Budget Campaign: pushing for an increase in the education budget to 4% of the GDP • Budget advocacy with politicians and activists • Training workshops with education activists • Supporting the role of data in education reform • Rallying Local Body election candidates for education • Budget and Enrolment Advocacy on the ground • Social media report Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015 Launch of our third annual District Education Rankings report
Alif Ailaan launched its “Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015” on 7 May 2015 in Islamabad. This is the third edition of our groundbreaking study, first published in May 2013, addressing the state of education across Pakistan’s 148 districts. Many renowned individuals including politicians, journalists, civil society members, activists, students, teachers and researchers attended the launch event. Close to 450 participants joined us at the venue while almost 150 people watched the event online.
Top, left to right: Minister for Defence, Water and Power Khawaja Asif, Minister for Education Baligh-ur-Rahman, MNA and Chairperson BISP Marvi Memon
Bottom, left to right: PPP Senator Osman Saifullah Khan, ANP Leader Afrasiab Khan Khattak, PTI MNA Shafqat Mehmood Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015
• Politicians from all major political parties shared their thoughts with the audience
• Leading personalities from academia and the civil society joined the panel for additional insight and analysis on the Alif Ailaan District Education Rankings 2015 Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015 In addition to the highly successful attendance by politicians from across all of Pakistan’s major political parties, there was a great turn out amongst the audience. Audience members keenly followed the speeches made by the panelists. The following items were launched at the event; the report in English and Urdu, a four pager summary in English, Urdu Regional Profile Pages along with an Online Web Portal with district profile pages. These can be accessed through the Alif Ailaan website: http://www.alifailaan.pk/district_rankings.
Bottom Left: Ms. Saman Naz (Data and Evidence Campaign Manager, Alif Ailaan & Co-Author of Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015) discusses the report on FM 89.4, Suno Pakistan. Bottom Right: Mr. Imran (Civil Society Campaign Manager, Alif Ailaan) being interview by FM 89.4, Suno Pakistan Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015
District Education Rankings Online Web Portal
At the occasion of the launch of the Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015, we also launched our online web portal. It is an interactive heat map map with summary of education indicators across Pakistan showing the district wise rankings. We have also introduced downloadable district profile pages in the portal which can help the viewers get a brief picture of the situation of education in any district. The portal can be accessed at: h p://www.alifailaan.pk/district_educa on_rankings
Supporting the role of data in education reform Supporting Education Reform through the use of Data
Ms. Saman Naz (Data and Evidence Campaign Manager, Alif The panel discussion took place at IBA, Karachi in Ailaan) participated in a panel discussion on Challenges and which Ms.Saman Naz shared her experience of data Possibilities of Working with Data in Pakistan held on Saturday collection, data analysis and challenge of finding May 9, 2015 at d|Bootcamp Karachi, the first ever data boot reliable data in Pakistan. camp in Pakistan. She also introduced Pakistan Data Portal and discussed the challenges of Open Data in the country.
Budget Campaign: pushing for an increase in the education budget to 4% of the GDP
Alif Ailaan launched its official budget campaign this month. The campaign is based on the central concept of increased spending on education to 4% of the GDP. This is represented via a television ad. Alif Ailaan’s advertising campaign shows that we have put the image of an education institution on the Rs.1000 note, demonstrating that we hold education in high regard. Yet, ironically we have failed to invest in education. The Ad campaign will be run from 15 May- 15 June with 903 spots across 9 channels.The ad can be viewed here: http://www.alifailaan.pk/taleemi_budget_barhaao
The budget campaign’s main call to action is a letter campaign addressing letters to the Federal Minister for Finance, Mr. Ishaq Dar. The campaign calls upon concerned citizens of Pakistan by urging them to ensure that education is a priority in this years budget. Alif Ailaan has compiled data from 148 districts in Pakistan to help generate informed letters from citizens asking for improvement in the education sector. Citizens are persuaded through media campaigns to send a letter to the Federal Minister for Finance via the Alif Ailaan website. The campaign proceeds to send hard copies of the letters on behalf of the website users. Budget Campaign: pushing for an increase in the education budget to 4% of the GDP
Dawn adopts Alif Ailaan’s Education Map
Alif Ailaan has developed a strong relation with Dawn.com which has continued to be an influential supporter of the campaign. Dawn.com gets over 1 million users every day and is one of the highest visited website in the country.
Through our efforts, Dawn.com has adopted the Alif Ailaan Education Map which will be hosted on the website through the life of the budget campaign and beyond. This has given Alif Ailaan’s letter campaign a big boost and will ensure that the tool is available even after the Alif Ailaan campaign comes to an end.
Link: http://www.dawn.com/news/1182722 Budget Campaign
The budget phase includes budget advocacy sessions with politicians, media advocacy, social media engagement, training and workshops with partners on the ground.
Briefing the Journalists
As a part of it on-going outreach and capacity building of journalists, Alif Ailaan organised a pre-budget briefing for journalists in Islamabad. This was one in the series of five workshops scheduled to be held across the provincial capitals. The session in Islamabad helped journalists understand the technical aspects of the education budget and key issues.The sessions are aimed at increasing the capacity of journalists for deeper engagement and help and reporting with regard to the federal budget. Media Coverage Alif Ailaan in the Media Following the launch of the District Rankings report, the campaign enjoyed extensive coverage in electronic, print and social media. In addition to electronic and social media coverage, here are some links to our print coverage:
Op-Eds and Editorials Quality of education single biggest challenge for education system - Daily Times Educa on Report Card – Dawn, 11 May 2015 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/08-May-2015/ h p://www.dawn.com/news/1181182/educa on-report-card quality-of-education-single-biggest-challenge-foreducation- system Educa on and Terror – Dawn, 13 May 2015 h p://www.dawn.com/news/1181619/educa on-and-terror Half of school buildings unsatisfactory – Express Tribune http://tribune.com.pk/story/882691/islamabad-schools-half- Alif Ailaan’s declara on – Daily Times, 13 May 2015 of-school-buildings-unsatisfactory/ h p://www.daily mes.com.pk/E-Paper/Lahore/2015-05-13/ page-6/detail-4 Education sector deep crisis prevails despite progress – Pakistan Today Barring Karachi all districts at rock bottom in nationwide http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/05/08/national/ rankings - The News education-sector-deep-crisis-prevails-despite-progress/ http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-316741- Barring-Karachi-all-districts-at-rock- Girls enrolment in KP increases; Punjab's districts domination 8 out of 10 top positions - Pakistan Observer Pakistan District Education Rankings 2015’ to be launched http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=263381 on May – Daily Times http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/05-May-2015/ Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings launched - pakistan-district-education-rankings-2015-to-be-launched- Business Recorder on-may-7 http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1184164/
Media Coverage
• Print coverage continued: TV bulletins www.dawn.com/news/1180719/state-of-education-not-any-better-this-year Geo News • ARY News It's time to fix our education system: Khawaja Asif – Business Recorder Waqt News • http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1184164/ Capital News
Islamabad tops in provision of best primary education: Report – The Nation Abb Tak News http://nation.com.pk/islamabad/08-May-2015/islamabad-tops-in-provision-of-best- Samaa primary-education-report Aaj News Dawn News Girls’ enrolment increases in KP - Daily Nai Baat PTV http://naibaat.com.pk/ePaper/islamabad/08-05-2015/details.aspx?id=p8_15.jpg ATV
Education sector in Pakistan is traditional suffering an emergency Daily - Jehan Pakistan Khyber TV http://www.jehanpakistan.com/epaper/detail_news.php?news=%2Fepaper%2Fepaper Express TV %2Fislamabad%2F080515%2Fp3-01.jpg#sthash.uPTiTsU7.dpbs Sindh TV 92 HD
TV Programmes Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath – Geo News Radio bulletins Alif Ailaan District Education Rankings 2015 was mentioned by Shahzeb Khanzada on his FM 94.6 popular TV show on Geo on 7 May 2015. Jinnah Radio http://www.awaztoday.tv/News-Talk-Shows/85440/Aaj-Shahzaib-Khanzada-Kay-Sath-7th- FM 100 May-2015.aspx FM 99 (from 18.14 to 21.46 minutes of video) FM 94.6 Imtiaz Alam Kay Sath – Capital TV FM 105 Alif Ailaan district education rankings discussed in a prime time show on Capital TV. Saman FM 103 participated in the live show http://www.zemtv.com/2015/05/10/imroze%e2%80%ac-imtiaz-alam-ke-sath-10th-may-2015/ Budget Campaign: Advocacy Budget Advocacy with politicians through All Parties Conferences May has been an exciting and active month with regard to Political Advocacy at Alif Ailaan. In addition to our high ranking political attendance and participation at the launch of the District Rankings Report, Alif Ailaan and its partner I-SAPS arranged budget advocacy sessions. I-SAPS and Alif Ailaan organised 7 All-Parties Conference in 5 districts (Rajanpur, Quetta, Thatta, Hyderabad, and Lahore) and in 2 provinces (Sindh & Punjab) in May 2015. The All-Parties Conferences are part of the campaign’s Budget-Phase activities, with clear calls-to-action shared with the politicians with respect to education financing.
Karachi: MPA’s Mehtab Rashidi and Karachi: MPA’s Irum Azeem and Rana Hyderabad: MPA (MQM) Dilawar Qureshi Seher Abbasi, (PML-F) Ansaar, (MQM) and PML-F’s Hyderabad President News Article covering the APC’s: To salvage Sindh’s education system, parties pledge to up their game – The News, 22 May 2015 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-319424-To-salvage-Sindhs-education-systemparties-pledge-to-up-their- game
Lahore: MPA’s Qamar-ul-Islam Raja (PML-N), Murad Ross Quetta: Mayor Dr. Kaleemullah presides over the All (PTI) and Saadia Sohail (PTI) Party Conference Budget Advocacy: meeting with Politicians
Budget Advocacy on the Ground: Alif Ailaan activists met their MNA’s and MPA’s and requested them to support our upcoming campaign of demanding atleast 4% of the GDP for the education budget in the fiscal year of 2015-16. Education Activists also helped distribute this years District Rankings report.
Alif Ailaan’s Mardan based NC, In a meeting Alif Ailaan’s Multan NC, Sajjad Ahmed, discusses key Noman Akhtar, Walks DEO-male of findings of Alif Ailaan Pakistan Hameeda Bano, our education Multan through the Alif Ailaan DER Districts Education Rankings 2015 activist from district Jaffarabad in 2015 key findings for district Multan with KP’s Education Minister and Balochistan meets District Chairman
PTI’s MPA from Mardan of Local Body Government
Alif Ailaan’s NC for Layyah district meets Alif Ailaan RC for Quetta, Nazir Lehri Sardar Shahb Din Sahar, PPP’s MPA during a meeting with Mr Tayyab Lehri, Noman Akhtar and his volunteers get from Layyah Balochistan’s Additional Secretary for newly elected PMLN’s Rana Mehmood-ul Education Hasan to pledge for education
Political Advocacy: Making education a campaign priority Local Bodies elections in KP and our engagement with candidates: The Local Government election in May 2015 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provided an opportunity for Alif Ailaan to build a concerted campaign around education. This will involve rallying candidates around the local school and education issues and drill education as the main campaigning agenda for the political parties. This will also include staging public forums to hosts debates/discussions between the candidates around the education issues of their areas, their role and responsibilities in the light of new KP Local Government Act 2013.
On May 24, Alif Ailaan Swat team organised a convention of all candidates of Local Bodies elections from union council Manglor. Of the total 33 candidates 28 attended this convention in which community pressured them to stand and pledge to prioritize education among their responsibilities. Budget Advocacy: In the field
Visits to schools Alif Ailaan education activists have been taking politicians and media teams to visit various schools in their districts. In some cases, politicians have narrated stories and read poems for students and talked to school staff about their problems. In cases of ghost or closed schools, media reports have been facilitated to highlight the neglect at government’s end.
Gov’t Boys Middle School Bhonbatpur which has been closed now for 10 years in the heart of incumbent PPP stronghold, Nau Dero, Larkana
Mardan based MNA, Ms Naeema Kishwar was facilitated to visit a primary school in the district. She had previously attended a storytelling session organised by KITAB and Alif Ailaan and thus she volunteered to visit a school in her home district and read poems and stories to kids. Graffiti on the entrance of MC Primary school in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab. Translation: This building is dilapidated and dangerous.
Unfortunate examples of abandoned and ghost schools were visited in Jafferabad, Balochistan, and various parts of Larkana, Sindh. Budget Advocacy: In the field Community Session: Walidain Ki Awaz: Parents were engaged in two community sessions organised by Alif Ailaan Education Activist, Sheneela Nazir. These sessions were organised this May in district Mirpur of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK).
District Education Budget Forums: Alif Ailaan aims at establishing district ‘Budget Watches’ to bring about responsible, honest, concerned and influential citizens and organisations together on a forum that is committed to watching over the district’s budget progress. Budget and Enrolment Advocacy
Alif Ailaan organised a seminar and festival to mark commencement of enrolment drive in Larkana, Sindh. Province’s Education Minister, Nisar Khuro attended this festival and seminar.;
Alif Ailaan collaborated with several CSOs and Alif Ailaan Jhelum team organised a workshop on the ‘Out of Education department to boost girls enrolment in Swat. School Children in Sialkot’. Budget and Enrolment Advocacy
Alif Ailaan Mirpur, AJK team organised a workshop with Alif Ailaan Jhelum team organised a workshop on the district’s reporters and journalists to brief them about ‘Out of School Children in Sialkot’. education challenges in the district and motivate them to play a more effective role in highlighting those issues.
Taleemi and Literary Baithak in Okara
As part of its ‘Taleemi Baithak Series’, Alif Ailaan facilitated famous Urdu and Punjabi poet, Masood Ahmed, to visit his childhood school in Okara. Activities with Partners: Enrolment
Enrolment of Out of School Children: With the help of our partner organisation RSPN, a big achievement was made this month with regard to enrolment.
Enrolment has continued at great speed in this month throughout the 11 districts. A total of 66,267 children have been enrolled (of which 27,019 have been girls) since September, 2014. Of these, 36,555 children have been enrolled in just this month of May! These children have been enrolled through several initiatives; the key method being through village and UC level awareness raising walks. Through a total of 159 enrolment walks at UC level, parents and the public at large were made aware of the importance of education and of article 25A under which their children are guaranteed with free and good quality education in government schools. In addition to this, seven district walks have also taken place in which community members from all project UCs participated as well as local stakeholders such as the Education Department, local politicians and members of the local media.
DC Battagram and DEO enroling a child in school Jafferabad: District Walk
The text messages campaign has continued to keep up with pace and has been used specifically to encourage communities to enrol their children into school. Texts were sent also to the Education Department asking them for assistance in the enrolment of children into schools. LSOs have sent a total of 39,830 text messages thus far to their community members, the Education Department, their local politicians and political party representatives and the media. Life me Likes 1,419,622
Outreach 822,208
Weekly 61,524
Engagement Rate 4.3% SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT Engaged Users 85,689 On 7 May, 2015, Alif Ailaan’s official hashtag for the launch of the Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Educa on Rankings launch was trending on twi er! Top Landing Pages
/district_rankings /(Homepage) New Users Sessions New Users Sessions 4,751 5,397 883 1,279
Page/Session % New Sessions Page/Session % New Sessions 1.59 88.03% 3.53 69.04%
Avg. Session Dura on Avg. Session Dura on 1:30 4:48 /district_educa on_rankings /live_feed New Users Sessions New Users Sessions 415 312 102 142
Page/Session % New Sessions Page/Session % New Sessions 1.48 75.18% 1.96 71.83%
Avg. Session Dura on Avg. Session Dura on 1:20 4:03 Twitter Overview
Following Followers
§ Our tweets received 201.2K impressions in a week with an average of 27.8K impressions per day and we now have 11.3K followers on Twi er Dashboard
Supporter /Audiences Grand total
Total supporters 1,768,527 FB likes 1,429,636 Website hits (unique visits) 158,458 Twitter followers 11,429 Declarations signed 38,105 SMS group members 130,899 Political Engagement 18,951 Alif Ailaan Political Advocacy 1,053 Alif Ailaan Education Activist 818 RSPN 1,697 GINI 5 IBT 116 I-SAPS 2,603 LEAD Pakistan 89 PIPS 130 Dashboard
Supporter /Audiences Grand total Community and Parent Engagement 693,220 Alif Ailaan Education Activists 169,765 SCF 1,877 RSPN 492,953 IBT 381 ITA 6,781 LEAD Pakistan 21,463
Education Providers (Teachers, Administrators, Managers) 20,020
Alif Ailaan Political Advocacy 658 Alif Ailaan Civil Society 17,320 RSPN 195 GINI 65 IBT 30 ISAPS 11 SRO 14 IRC 26 LEAD Pakistan 401 SAHE 1,300 Meeting with SMCs (RSPN + LEAD Pakistan) 3,876 Emails sent from Alif Ailaan map 38,294 Pakistan Data Portal (visits)-SDPI 8,853 1,768,527 supporters
Together we can end Pakistan’s education crisis
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