Child education in Pakistan is often neglected because of high poverty and illiteracy levels. According to Unicef, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out of school children with the figure reaching a stark 22.8 million. Furthermore inadequate financing, limited enforcement of policy commitments, and challenges in equitable implementation hinder educating the most disadvantaged. To combat this crucial issue, many NGOs have funded and started programs to educate underprivileged children. Non-Profit Organizations that have played a huge role in underprivileged child education include: Unicef, Educate a Child Foundation, The Citizens Foundation, Tameer-i-Millat Foundation, Global Giving, and Alkidmat. Unicef has started a program that focuses on Early Childhood Education to improve school readiness, expansion of equitable pathways. UNICEF is working through studies, supporting provincial sector plan development, development of education policy, and direct program implementation. Educate a Child Foundation has forged partnerships with the British Council, the Citizens Foundation, and UNHCR. The Citizens Foundation’s Education targets out-of-school children from marginalized communities in low-income areas of Pakistan who have been deprived of educational opportunities. Tameer-e-Millat Foundation aims to provide quality education to every individual, in all academic and professional disciplines, without discrimination of gender, race, religion, socio-economic status, or ethnicity. Additionally, Tameer-i-Millat Foundation aims to operate fundamentally in the rural areas of Pakistan where children have little access to education due to poverty and the shortage of schools. Global Giving is building a school for 250 underprivileged Pakistani Children in Guff village in rural Rawalpindi Pakistan. Alkhidmat Foundation supports all students with free schooling and rehabilitation support to the poor and needy children. Alkhidmat helps to encircle all matters and issues related to education in Pakistan. 

Alkhidmat has started projects such as Agoosh which fully supports and funds every child's education. They also have smaller schools called Baithak schools in areas of Pakistan where children have little access to education with minimal to no tuition fee. Inside their schools, they offer programs such as a Quran foundation class, sewing classes, computer courses, and introductory classes including Math, English, Science, and Islamiat for underprivileged children so they can be enrolled at schools based on their age and merit. Additionally, Alkhidmat also offers school supplies which are 2,000 PKR per child, and scholarships for 6,000 PKR, which have been running for the past 16 years. They also have a child protection center that aims to provide street children with formal and informal education, recreational activities, health and hygiene campaigns, and psycho-social counseling. Additionally, they also offer hostel services with a 2,000 PKR fund to provide all hostel services, for those living in rural, slum, and remote areas in Pakistan. Moreover, they also have a skill development center where they teach girls basic computer courses so they can secure a job in tech. 

      This summer I did an internship with Alkhidmat and had the pleasure of interviewing both faculty and students to ask them questions about how Alkhidmat has enhanced education for underprivileged Pakistani children. I asked three children aged 3-11 from the introductory classes what they study, how studying at Alkhidmat will benefit them and how Alkhidmat has played a role in developing their interests. They said they study Math, English, Science, Islamiyat, and read the Qur’an. Furthermore, they said that studying at Alkhidmat will help them build a bright future and in their careers of being a Doctor, Qaaria and Policewomen. Moreover, Alkhidmat played a role in developing their interests by making the education process more interactive and making them do other non-academic activities. Furthermore, I interviewed older teenage girls and asked them the same set of questions. Mahwish said that she studies sewing and Qur’an foundation at Alkhidmat, and these will benefit her by increasing her knowledge with the information she did not know before. Additionally, she told me she had interests in computers and the computer classes helped further develop her passion and interests. Fira said that she studies sewing as well, and this benefited her because she can help her parents by sewing their clothes and saving them money. Moreover, she said that she has interests in learning the Quran and the Quran Foundation would further develop her interests. Lastly, Rida said that she sews, and learning at Alkhidmat is extremely beneficial for her future. Additionally, she said that she also had interests in learning the Quran especially the Alimah and Tafseer, and the Quran Foundation would further her interests. 

Like it's aforementioned, I also interviewed a member of the faculty, the head of the education department at Alkhidmat: Samira Chopra.  I asked her questions such as what was the goal and vision behind creating schools for underprivileged Pakistani children, how are underprivileged students selected to study at Alkhidmat school and how do you feel as the head of the education department at Alkhidmat and further their cause. She said that “the goal and vision behind creating schools for underprivileged Pakistani children, to close the poverty gap and that they are provided with a protective environment to live in instead of dumpsites and landfills.” Additionally, she said that underprivileged students are chosen based on their merit and dire need to study at all schools including Agoosh and Bahtak schools. To conclude she said that she feels extremely empowered and humbled in heading the education department at Alkhidmat and furthering their cause.

Citation: 

“Improving education for the underprivileged” dawn.com/news/880881/improving-education-for-the-underprivileged Accessed 8/12/2021

Developments in Literacy (DIL) UK. “School for 250 underprivileged Pakistani Children”globalgiving.org/projects/school-for-250-underprivileged-pakistani-children/ Accessed 8/12/2021

“Education”  unicef.org/pakistan/education Accessed 8/13/2021

“Pakistan” educateachild.org/our-partners-projects/country/pakistan Accessed 8/13/2021

“Education” pk.undp.org/content/pakistan/en/home/stories/school-of-hope.html

alkhidmat.org/education/  Accessed 8/13/2021