Noteworthy ECD Practices Research Study Pakistan ECD... · Noteworthy ECD Practices Research Study...

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Noteworthy ECD Practices Research Study Pakistan Supported by Asia-Pacific Regional Network of Early Childhood (ARNEC) and United Nation International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) Conducted by Mohammad Afzal Khan Independent researcher Karachi Pakistan December 2015

Transcript of Noteworthy ECD Practices Research Study Pakistan ECD... · Noteworthy ECD Practices Research Study...

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Noteworthy ECD Practices Research Study Pakistan

Supported by

Asia-Pacific Regional Network of Early Childhood (ARNEC)

and

United Nation International Children Education Fund (UNICEF)

Conducted by Mohammad Afzal Khan Independent researcher

Karachi Pakistan December 2015

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4 OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................. 4

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................... 4 Study/Project Background .............................................................................................................. 5 Research Questions ......................................................................................................................... 6 Profiles of Family Support Monitors (FSM) .................................................................................. 6

Common Characteristics of FSMs .............................................................................................. 7

Theoretical Framework of the Study .............................................................................................. 7 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 10

Socio-cultural Case Study ......................................................................................................... 10 Entry Negotiation and Access ................................................................................................... 11

Sampling .................................................................................................................................... 11 Data Collection .......................................................................................................................... 12

Table: Summary of data collection ........................................................................................ 12

Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 13

Observation ............................................................................................................................... 14 Document Analysis ................................................................................................................... 14 Digital recording and verbatim transcription ............................................................................ 14

Field notes ................................................................................................................................. 15 Data analysis using Rogoff’s three Plan of analysis ................................................................. 15

Ethical Concerns ....................................................................................................................... 16 Verification steps ....................................................................................................................... 17

DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ......................................................................................... 18

Background and Profile of the Organization (Rupani Foundation) .......................................... 18

Organizational Structure ........................................................................................................... 18 Major Program Interventions of the Organization .................................................................... 19

Early Childhood Development .............................................................................................. 19

Research Context ....................................................................................................................... 20

Characteristics of the community /context in which this programme is operating ................... 22

Nature and scope of this programme - ................................................................................... 23

Key Stakeholders ....................................................................................................................... 24 Mission and Goals of the community based IP Program .......................................................... 25 Program and Service Delivery Mechanism ............................................................................... 26 Measurable outcome of the Programme .................................................................................... 26

Perceived benefits of the programme ........................................................................................ 28 Observed outcomes / benefits of this programme ..................................................................... 28 Factors contributing to the effectiveness of this programme .................................................... 30

Commitment of Family Support Motivator (FSMs).............................................................. 30

Regular Follow-up Support ................................................................................................... 30

No Interference of Government Education Department ........................................................ 31

Ongoing Capacity Building of FSMs, ................................................................................... 32

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Regularity of Mothers and Grandparents in Sessions ........................................................... 33

Availability of Age-appropriate Low-cost and No-cost Learning Resources ....................... 34

Challenges ..................................................................................................................................... 35 Funding Sources of the Centre ...................................................................................................... 36 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 36 References ..................................................................................................................................... 37

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INTRODUCTION

Early development contributes to effective school entry, better school performance, and ultimately,

visible success later in life (Khan, 2013). The aim of this research is to contribute to building an

evidence base of early childhood support for children from hard-to-reach contexts in the Asia

Pacific region through in-depth documentation of existing Noteworthy Practices, with a particular

focus on documenting community perspectives and programme-community linkages. The data

gathered through observations, interviews, document analysis and reflections is aimed to better

understand the unique factors that contribute to the effectiveness of the early childhood

development programmes.

Research has validated that access to quality early learning provisions ensures later success;

therefore early childhood development has the potential to achieve long-term benefits for the

society in which it developed (Bruce 2010; McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010; Edward, 2009). A thorough

literature search revealed, although researchers have explored various aspects of early childhood

education and development (ECED), little work has been done on recording noteworthy ECD

practices in the context of Pakistan leading to the purpose of this research.

OBJECTIVES

To better understand the nature of contexts in which the programme is operating, and the nature of

(as well as potential for stronger) linkages between context / community and programme)

To better understand both expected and unexpected outcomes associated with the programme,

particularly in terms of impact on communities involved.

To better understand the processes that underpin effective programme delivery (as well as

potential barriers), with particular focus on the role of community and key stakeholders in

supporting the programme.

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

The rationale for this study is provided by previous research, which suggests that (i) involvement of

community members can significantly increase the long-term, positive impact of early childhood

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programmes on young children (Kagitcibasi, Sunar, Baydar, Bekman & Cemalcilar, 2009); (ii)

grounding early childhood programmes firmly within communities may enhance sustainability (Aga

Khan Foundation, 2013); (iii) links between a strong, positive sense of cultural/community identity

and belonging can promote later resilience in children (Bernard van Leer, 2008) and (iv) a strong,

positive sense of community identity can promote peace building efforts (Anderson & Wallace,

2013)

The approach is therefore grounded in the following principles / assumptions:

Noteworthy’ practices are grounded in community values, priorities and needs.

‘Noteworthy’ practices are about empowering to all who participate in them - including children,

staff and families.

Much of the evaluative research conducted internationally on early childhood programmes tends

to focus on child outcomes, which are important. However, understanding of the nature of

programmes, as well as community and stakeholder perspectives is needed, as these factors also

influence child outcomes in the long-term. A greater focus on community needs, priorities

outcomes in documentation of ‘Noteworthy’ Practices would therefore provide valuable insights.

STUDY/PROJECT BACKGROUND

While there are numerous examples of early childhood programmes around Asia Pacific region that

have adopted innovative approaches to overcoming important issues such as access and cultural

relevance (see Pearson, 2014) documentation of these innovations has not been rigorous enough to

support their wider implementation.

The research presented here forms part of a wider project, supported by UNICEF (Regional Office

for South Asia), ARNEC (the Asia Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood) and Universiti

Brunei Darussalam, that involved documentation of eight innovative examples of early childhood

programmes across the Asia Pacific region. The project’s aim is to contribute to advancing

knowledge that can support the provision of effective, sustainable supports for early childhood in

the region. The focus is specifically on approaches that cater specifically for children from

‘marginalized’ or ‘at risk’ communities, which are either grounded in community

priorities/circumstances, or have been successful in garnering community support/involvement.

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research conducted in all eight of the participating sites was guided by the following questions:

1. What are the characteristics of the community / context in which this programme is

operating?

2. What is the nature and scope of this programme? What is / are the intended purposes /

outcomes of this programme?

3. What are the perceived benefits of this programme (programme staff & management;

parents / caregivers; community leaders; funders; policy makers)?

4. What are the observed outcomes / benefits of this programme (what do you see as being

beneficial to children & communities; what do you see as potentially detrimental)?

5. What are the factors that contribute to effectiveness of this programme?

6. What current (and potential) programme-community linkages are (could be better used in)

supporting programme effectiveness?

During each phase of the research, a rigorous approach to design and data collection, in line with

recognised criteria for ensuring validity and reliability in case study research, was taken. Analyses

conducted during and on completion of data collection focused on examination of findings in line

with the research questions outlined above.

PROFILES OF FAMILY SUPPORT MONITORS (FSM)

There are two FSMs (teacher cum community mobilsers) attached with this resource centre. Both

are local, young and energetic.

Zarin has been attached with the resource centre for almost two years after attending ECD training

from Rupani Foundation in 2013. The training course was designed to enhance FSMs understanding

of children’s holistic development and the focus age bracket was children aged 0-3. She holds a

bachelor degree in Arts, an Intermediate certificate in Science and a certificate in teaching (CT) to

children aged 10 and above. She has a passion to teach young children of age 5 and below. She has

some experience of teaching in one of the Government school in her village when a teacher of the

school was out for long time and had asked her to teach her classes in her absence. For this casual

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job she was paid by the teacher who was out of school. She has attended computer courses and

cooking is her hobby.

Parveen holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree with Bachelor of Education degree. She has also

completed one year certificate of teaching (CT) course as well. She has undergone a vigorous

training in ECD for 2 months at Rupani Foundation’s ECD center before joining this community

based ECD center. She has a good experience of teaching in one of the private school for two years.

She was teaching students of grade 6-8. She has also attended computer courses and cooking is her

hobby as well. She loves helping and teaching young children.

Common Characteristics of FSMs

Both belong to the same village where the centre is running and members of the same community.

Both are young, energetic and unmarried. Both are interested to make ECD as their career. Both are

passionate teachers, committed community mobilisers, hard workers. Both walk to the centre and

live nearby the centre. Everyone in the village know them by name.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

Vygotsky believed that knowledge is constructed by others through social interaction and their

experiences influence children’s development. Ackermann (n.d.) asserts, “in the last decade, an

increasing number of researchers have come to the view that knowledge is essentially situated and

thus should not be detached from the situations in which it is constructed and actualized” (p.1).

According to socio-cultural theory, knowledge lives and grows in society, culture and context in

different ways. The culture of childhood plays a vital role in the context-dependent holistic

development of young children (Robbins, 2007) because “the efforts of individuals are not

separated from the kinds of activities they engage [in] and the kinds of institution[s] of which they

are [a] part” (Rogoff, 2003, p. 50). It is the culture of EC settings, where children have the

opportunity to use their own creativity, which closely interacts with others and participates in centre

based events and internalises social learning (Dahlberg & Moss, 2005).

Basically, the influential theory of the socio-historical approach to learning and development is

based on Vygotsky’s seminal work. This theory challenges other theories of development that focus

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on the individual, and social, cultural and historical contexts separately (Rivalland, 2010).

According to this approach, individual development cannot be separated from its social and

cultural-historical context (Rogoff, 2003). Follari (2011) asserts that, according to Vygotskyan

philosophy, “knowledge is constructed through active mental processes but is greatly influenced by

one’s social and cultural environment” (p. 80). Child development starts with dependence on

caregivers and relies on the vast pool of transmitted experiences of others (Fleer, 2010).

Being greatly influenced by Vygotskyan thoughts regarding child development, based on the

sociocultural nature of human development (Bodrova & Leong, 2007; Edwards, 2009), Rogoff

(2003) has presented her own theory called the three foci of analysis. These foci fit closely with the

research reported here as they reflect the focus on studying aspects of community and context in

documenting Noteworthy Practices that cater for young children.

Rogoff, an educator and researcher, has said that development cannot be understood in isolation

with regard to a child’s context. To fully understand the child, one needs to study interpersonal,

intrapersonal and community dimensions of a child’s life. Chowdhury (2011) states that “these

[three] planes are inseparable and interrelated and to understand each of the processes requires the

involvement of processes in the other planes” (p.32).

Rivalland (2010) argues that in this approach, with any one foci being in focus, the others remain in

the background. Robbins (2007) maintains that “the focus of analysis in this approach is on [the]

child’s transformational participation during the course of the activity, the child’s collaboration and

relationships with others and on cultural factors” (p.48).

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Figure 1 Rogoff's three interacting planes of analysis

(Adapted from Khan, 2013 cited in Edwards, 2009, p. 18)

Rogoff’s analysis focuses on the development of children holistically therefore provides a

framework for this study, which investigated ECD noteworthy practices. And Informed Parents

programme follows a curriculum approach which encourages involvement of family

members/caregivers and community members in child’s education encompassing personal,

interpersonal and community learning. According to Rogoff’s three foci of development, learning is

social, interactive and collaborative in nature; therefore she has emphasised collaborative

relationships between the child and all other adults within a socio-cultural context (Rogoff, 2003).

This understanding is crucial for understanding children’s lives, because when the researcher

attempts to explicate or interpret the cultural strands that exist within a child’s community, various

biases may emerge. Much of the previous evaluation research into early childhood programmes that

operate across the Asia Pacific region has been grounded in assumptions about similarities in

cultural and contextual characteristics across diverse programme sites. Whereas traditional

ethnographic approaches are largely descriptive and do not attempt to analyse or explain events or

perspectives that are recorded, critical ethnography involves analysis of findings from data

collection in relation to broader historical processes and social contradictions, searching for the

hidden forces that structure life (Canagarajah, 1999).

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METHODOLOGY

This research was conducted in one of the community based RF ECD resource ccenters focusing

Informed Parents Program (IPP) in Gilgit-Baltistan province of Pakistan and thus centre was

identified as an innovative programme for recording of ECD best practices following a regional-

wide call for expressions of interest distributed via ARNEC and other early childhood networks.

This programme is run by the local community with technical support from RF where community

commitment to sustainability, inclusion, and equity is evident from the success of the center.

A local researcher from Pakistan was recruited by ARNEC, with assistance from the team at

Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), to conduct in-depth studies of the case. This was one of the

eight cases selected in Asia Pacific Region for recording noteworthy ECD practices. Training in the

research design and research methods was provided to local researchers by the UBD team. Local

and UBD-based researchers worked in partnership at all times throughout the research and data

collection process.

The selected researcher was based within the communities for a period of 4-6 weeks during the

initial phases of research. During this period, the researcher:-

Worked closely with programme staff to become familiar with the programme and community

and gain access (first week to make inroads, get comfortable, become accepted by communities

and programme staff);

Engaged in intensive data collection (interviews with key stakeholders; observations: second to

sixth weeks)

Engaged in continuous data analysis and reporting, based on the key research questions outlined

in the research methodology.

Socio-cultural Case Study

An exploratory approach to the case study (Bell, 2010) was employed, which allowed researcher to

use a wide range of techniques for data collection; this was advantageous in my case because this

approach is considered appropriate, particularly when exploration, description and interpretation of

a contemporary phenomenon within a real-life context is required (Creswell, 2007). However, Bell

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(2010) contends that case study research is much more than a description of an event or a state. In a

case study evidences are collected systematically and they are concerned principally with the

interaction of factors and events (Wellington, 2000).

By using a case study approach this study has explored the views of research participants relating to

noteworthy ECD practices followed by teachers and others in the selected ECD centre. The insights

gleaned from this study may be utilised in other contexts, for introducing more effective

programmes for children age 0-3 and for their parents in Pakistan or elsewhere in the world. An

exploratory approach enabled me to conduct in-depth interviews, and document analysis, video

recording, formal discussion and informal talks. Each of these techniques was validated and

information was triangulated to answer my research questions. In addition, I was able to explore

participants’ views, perceptions, thoughts and beliefs in real-life settings (preschools) (McMillan,

2008).

Entry Negotiation and Access

In gaining access, the researcher needed to consider how negotiation for entry can be achieved and

whose permission must be sought (Suter, 2012). As a local researcher and being member of the

same community, entry to the research site and locating the research participants were not

impossible tasks. Entry negotiation into the field was made via telephone, skype and emails.

Conversations were held with the CEO of the foundation, chairman of the community based ECD

centre and field managers of the programme and they expressed their desire to participate; this

allowed me to conduct my research efficiently. I provided them with explanatory statements (see

Appendix B) and consent forms (see Appendix C). At my request, these managers talked to

teachers, parents and community members and introduced me to all of them. Two FSMs, 11 parents

(7 mothers and 4 fathers), 7 grandparents, 3 graduates, 2 pregnant mothers, 1 ECD Coordinator and

1 field supervisor and the CEO signed consent forms on my visit to their centres (see Appendix C).

Sampling

Researchers believe that identification of appropriate participants as a source of information is the

most important component of any research study and for exploratory research, the importance was

even greater. As a researcher I was seeking out those who were well informed about noteworthy

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ECD practices and were able to provide relevant information about the subject of inquiry

(McMillan, 2008). Since the purpose of my research was to explore effective approaches of

children’s holistic development and noteworthy ECD practices I identified participants who were

directly involved in the operation of the centre. The Chief Executive Officer, a regional ECD

coordinator, a local ECD coordinator, two FSMs, group of parents (mothers and fathers,

grandparents), group of members of the society, graduates, pregnant mothers and a group of

children were identified as participants after consultation with the field managers. Details of sample

size is as under

CEO Coordinator FSMs

Parents

Community

Members Graduates Total Mothers Fathers

Pregnant

Mothers

1 2 2 6 4 2 6 3 26

Data Collection

Multiple sources and methods were used for data collection. These included interviews, formal

discussions, informal talks, sessions’ observation and document analysis. Each added richness to

my descriptions, depth to my understanding and breadth to my findings. A brief overview of data

collection procedures is presented below.

Table: Summary of data collection

Activity/Process Method Tools Data Negotiation

Rapport building

Discussions Notebook,

Permission and Consent letters

Interview

45 to 90 minutes

Semi-structured

interviews

Questionnaire, digital recorder,

notebook

Transcriptions,

field notes

Document analysis Reading

Note-taking

Curriculum documents,

Portfolios, organization website,

reports,

Memos

Talks and

Observation

Informal talks

None/participatory

observations

Journal Field notes

Reflections

In the following section, I will discuss how these contributions were made.

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Interviews

Interviews were conducted to explore intended benefits /outcomes of this programme and the

perceived (unexpected) benefits /outcomes of this programme. Interviews are considered to be the

most powerful tool for collecting data in a natural setting as part of a case study method. As

Creswell (2003) suggests, interviewing in a natural setting is the most effective method of data

collection because it engages individuals in focused and profound discourse. Macdonald, et al.

(2002) mention that interviews allow teachers to tell stories openly and honestly. I prepared a time

schedule for interviewing in light of the discussions I had with RF field ECD managers and the

CEO and other respondents during my entry negotiations. I was able to conduct interviews in a

systematic way because my own schedule for data collection did not compromise participants

routines activities. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why I felt that my research participants

remained comfortable with me throughout the data collection period.

Since the purpose of my research was to explore participants’ views and perceptions about the

noteworthy ECD practices, I employed semi-structured interviews in a face-to-face setting using a

series of open-ended questions. I also conducted focus group interviews of parents and children.

The use of semi-structured interviews allowed me to probe further when I needed to seek

clarification to gain a deeper understanding of the situation (Lichtman, 2010). At the same time, it

also provided enough time for my respondents to express their views in more detail. The open-

ended questions were helpful for both the interviewer and interviewees in order to share in-depth

perceptions, reflections, beliefs and assumptions (Wellington, 2000).

I interviewed the majority of my research participants once. However, some participants were

consulted on more than one occasion, when I felt the need for further clarification or explanation in

order to avoid misinterpretation (O’Toole & Beckett, 2010). Data collection was carried out over a

six-week period.

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Observation

The purpose of observations was two-fold. The first purpose was to observe information that relates

more or less directly to the research questions: what are the observed outcomes/benefits of the

programme and what are the factors that contribute to effectiveness of this programme? The second

objective was to document context-specific information on community perspectives, needs and

priorities.

I observed the process of teaching and learning in the classroom. Each observation lasted for one

and half hour. I conducted 6 observations of one hour and 30 minutes during the six weeks of data

collection. The observations were mostly unstructured and none participative in nature. Part of all

the observations was videotaped for future record and reference with prior permission of FSMs and

parents. The observations was made to understand effectiveness of the programme and to

triangulate data from interviews and document analysis.

Document Analysis

As I commenced data collection, I was concerned that I may not be able to access a number of

relevant documents due to confidentiality of information. However, upon request, I accessed

documents that were not confidential and were relevant to the research, namely curriculum

documents for family education programme for children 3 and under and for their parents, student’s

portfolios, curriculum documents, lesson plans and routine schedules. These documents were

excellent sources of information. They also helped me crosscheck some of the views of participants.

For example, the documents helped me in understanding how children’s holistic development and

other noteworthy practices were being documented in portfolios of each children and if these

practices were represented the ideas shared during interviews of all participants.

Digital recording and verbatim transcription

For recording interviews, I used both a digital recorder and MP3 player with prior permission from

research participants, because merely depending on note-taking during interviews could lead to

missing important ideas (O’Toole & Backett, 2010). The recorded interviews were transcribed

verbatim on a daily basis. I read each transcript carefully before sharing it with informants by email

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or on my next visit to their school. They showed great interest in reading these transcripts in order

to see how effectively they have talked about noteworthy practices and child development.

Transcripts were shared in order to avoid any misinterpretation of information on my part. Data

transcribing and translation were challenging as well as time-consuming activities, but I realised the

importance of accuracy in ensuring the validity of my data, thus enhancing the reliability of my

research findings.

Field notes

I took running field notes of classroom contexts, school practices and teachers interactions during

my visit to EC centres. The notes were changed into thick descriptions on a daily basis. This helped

me to recall important events during my visits to the centre and classrooms. My field notes allowed

me to record “the actions of participants” and “my own reflections” (O’Toole & Beckett, 2010, p.

142). The limitation of taking field notes, I felt, was the inability to keep pace with the proceedings

of activities and sessions and note all the events and talks. For this reason I could only note the main

events.

Data analysis using Rogoff’s three Plan of analysis

The process of data collection and analysing started simultaneously (Cohen, Menion & Morrison,

2000; Creswell, 2003) and was completed by the end of the study (Creswell, 2007). A more

comprehensive conception of data analysis comes from Bogdan and Biklen (2007): “Analysis

involves working with data, organising them, breaking them into manageable units, synthesising

them, searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what is to be learned and deciding

what you will tell others” (p.54).

I experienced it firsthand on the very first day of my data collection when I wrote my first

reflection. I wrote field notes, reflective memos and transcribed interviews on a daily basis. That

way I was able to detect any gaps or vagueness in my field data. In such cases I went back to my

respondents for clarification. Creswell (2007) also favours taking information back to informants at

this stage to obtain feedback on initial summaries. All these pieces of information helped me in

seeing a holistic picture of the situation that started to emerge as I progressed through my data

collection to the next stage of analysis: coding the field data.

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Rossman and Rallis (1998) say that coding is a process of organising material into chunks. In my

case these chunks were the right-hand marginal notes of transcriptions, field notes and reflective

memos. At this stage, I read the reflective notes, memos and transcriptions critically and made

marginal notes of important ideas (Creswell, 2003). Line-by-line coding helped me in identifying

themes from th common and repeated ideas/codes. After coding them, I went through the codes a

number of times and found that a number of patterns/themes had emerged (Tajik, 1998). The most

repeated themes were taken as separate topics and others were merged within themes (O’Toole and

Beckett, 2010). Themes and categories were modified and refined by critical and continuous

reading until final themes developed.

To analyse the data (participants’ views, opinions and perceptions) I used Rogoff’s (1995) personal,

interpersonal and institutional analytical plans. Chowdhury (2011) notes that:

The personal plane takes into account participants’ experiences, beliefs and understandings

whereas the interpersonal plane explores participants’ perceptions related to teacher–

children, teacher–parent and parent–children interactions. The institutional plane uncovers

social beliefs, cultural values, families’ expectations, educational policies and practices,

physical contexts of the schools and neighbourhood of the families (p.47).

Ethical Concerns

Participants were treated with respect at all times. Prior to conducting this study, I personally met with

all the participants to obtain their consent and I shared my explanatory statement, the purpose of my

research, its benefits and challenges with them. The participants were assured that they had the right to

withdraw at any stage from my study without giving any reason(s), there would not be any negative

consequences upon doing so, and that their participation was voluntary. This way, all participants

showed great interest and contributed to my research till the end of the study.

To ensure confidentiality, the information obtained from participants was not shared with anyone else,

except UBD. After the transcription, the interview data were consistently relayed to informants to avoid

misinterpretation. To protect anonymity, I replaced the participants’ and school’s actual names with

pseudonyms. I kept the collected data in a locked cupboard for security, in the same light, private

discussions were avoided.

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Verification steps

The major purpose of my study was to document noteworthy ECD practices. Cohen, Manion and

Morrison (2000) state: “Validity is an important key to effective research. If a piece of research is

invalid then it is worthless”. With this in mind, I employed the following strategies to ensure the

element of validity (Maxwell, 1996).

1. Data triangulation: For triangulation of the data, I collected the data for my study using various

methods like; interviews, observation, document analysis, formal discussion and informal talks.

2. Verbatim transcription: To avoid the threat of inconsistencies in interpreting the responses, I

transcribed the interviews verbatim on a daily basis.

3. Source triangulation: I collected data through primary participants and I also conducted some

informal discussions with other staff and coordinators who were not participants in my research.

4. Member checking: I consulted with participants and got them to check the transcripts to avoid

misinterpretation.

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DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

Background and Profile of the Organization (Rupani Foundation)

Founded (Under the Agencies Act of Voluntary Social Welfare, Ordinance 1961) in 2007, Rupani

Foundation (RF) was established globally as a registered public charity in USA (as a 501(c) 3),

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Its primary constituency is the extreme rural and mountain

communities which are most susceptible to natural disasters, hard to reach, political conflicts and

extreme poverty. Due to their typical remote location, these communities are usually marginalized

from the rest of the country and lack of resources and support to meet basic human needs. The vision

of Rupani Foundation is to create a sustainable society for future generations and its mission is

promoting the holistic development of children (0-8 years) by providing essential ECD services at

household and community level and creating lasting solutions to poverty by enhancing skills and

adding value to local production with the partnership of local, national and international agencies.

Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan offer a unique opportunity to integrate underprivileged areas

and their extreme rural and mountain communities into the evolving global socio-economic

landscape. For example, most mountain communities have natural access to semi-precious and

precious stone mines, but lack of the skills and resources to develop them into sustainable income

generating opportunities. By providing skill development training for adults, particularly women, and

establishing Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs for children, these communities can be

empowered to permanently break the vicious cycle of poverty and join the global community as

contributing citizens for generations to come.

Organizational Structure

The organizational structure of the Rupani Foundation comprises on a voluntary board of directors;

they are the Chairman and Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Company Secretary, as Executive Body for

a period of three years. Various other Committees on the board are appointed with oversight

responsibilities for different program components of the organization. A Chief Executive Officer

(CEO) leads the staff which is employed for the execution of the programs and projects. The Head of

ECD Bridges is responsible to manage ECD affairs in coordination with CEO.

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Major Program Interventions of the Organization

Rupani Foundation works mainly to support two areas of development; Early Child Development

and Skills Development; however, this paper will only focus on the ECD.

Early Childhood Development

Considering the high importance of ECD in terms of children’s holistic development the Foundation

has started multiple programs in target areas with the support of local community. The ultimate

aims of these programmes is to promote education from early years. The Foundation organizes

supportive programs for parents and family members as well. The Foundation believe that during

the period of 0-8 relevant skills and behaviors allow children to function and adapt effectively

according to the environment in which they live and grow. Currently RF is facilitating

approximately 1,157 children, 1,132 mothers, 877 fathers, 201 pregnant mothers, 261 grandparents,

65 volunteers, 36 new couples, 63 mentors and 35 members of Mother Action Committees in three

countries. Under its ECD programmes the foundation runs a family education programme for

children 3 and under and for their parents with name of Informed parents programme which will be

discussed in the next section1.2,1.1 Informed Parents Programme

Informed Parents programme is a home-based customized program catering children from prenatal

to 3 years of age; it looks at children holistically and explores their hidden potentialities and prepares

children for a balanced life through the involvement of mothers and caregivers. Family Support

Motivators (FSMs) work with mothers and caregivers on child development, child rearing and

parenting. 10 FICD (Family Involvement for Child Development) centers are functional in Sindh &

Gilgit-Baltistan provinces of Pakistan, Badakhshan Afghanistan and Khorog Tajikistan. Programme

site for this research study was Bubur Village Informed Parents Programme which is situated in

Ghizer district almost 80 kilometers towards west of Gilgit city the capital of province of Gilgit-

Baltistan Pakistan in the mountainous region of Karakoram Hindukush. Details related to the research

context are as under

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Research Context

A few years ago, the Informed Parent Programme was launched in the small village of Bubur. It is a

village of 179 households which is situated 80

kilometers away from the main Gilgit city and

20 kilometer from the Gahkoch (capital city

of Ghizer district) town. The programme is

for children age 0- 3 and for their parents and

other care givers including grandparents,

siblings and uncles/aunts. Currently a total

number of 39 children and their families are

enrolled and attend ECD related programmes

on regular basis. This is a community based

centre with limited financial support from Rupani Foundation. Rupani Foundation has provided one

time materials support and as per the agreement the foundation is committed to providing technical

support for 8-10 years. The centre operates in the home of a generous donor from the local

community. The house consists of two nice rooms and a kitchen including a very nice garden. The

centre is run by two young trained girls and they are called Family Support Monitors (FSM). There

is one field coordinator appointed by RF to supervise and for providing field based support to FSMs

who is basically responsible to look after more than two ECD centres of this type in the district.

FSMs are responsible to conduct centre and home-based sessions for children aged 0-and for other

care givers. They also conduct home visits to monitor family based children development

programmes designed by the ECD centre. They also share key messages and conduct sessions for

parents and all other family members once a month in each home.

The ECD centre is run by an educational society comprising a group of 10 members and headed by

a chairman who works as a public school head teacher. The Centre’s primary focus is on a minority

community in the region, however other communities have taken an interest in the Centre’s

programs and have since made contact with the society to ask for their help in providing technical

support to launch a similar kind of centre for their children. The inspiration behind this centre came

from the guidance of the religious leader of the community who has emphasised the importance of

providing quality ECD services for all children of aged 0-8. Although the villagers are from the

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lower income group and struggle to fulfill essential daily needs such as food and clothings, every

family has their own house and some farming land , although produce on these farms is very weak.

Farming and low paid Government jobs are the main sources of income and very few female

members of the society are employed, instead, they work as house managers. Shia Imami Ismaili

Muslims and Sunni Muslim communities live together in the village and have very good relations.

The ECD centre runs for 6 days a week for 2 hours daily and follows curriculum guidelines

developed by US educationist based on theories from western concepts of child development

incorporating local cultural, historical and traditional realities.

The programme comprises on the following components

Sessions for new married couples

Sessions for pregnant mothers

Home visits with first parents/child

Awareness sessions for communities (health and hygiene, child

rights and protection and parenting skills)

Regular sessions for mothers and children at ECD center

Sessions for fathers

Sessions for grand parents

Yoga sessions for parents and the children

The centre is managed by an educational society comprised of 10

members from the local community. The centre aims to provide excellent education services using

low and no cost material and locally available resources. The centre started a few years ago and has

implemented minimum learning standards developed by the foundation through hiring consultants

from US under its curriculum innovation programme.

Resource Centre staff are comprised of two Family Support Monitors employed by the community

for little amount of remuneration which is equivalent to $50 per month. A field supervisor working

on Foundation payroll is responsible to providing technical support and advice to the centre on a

weekly basis however part of his current job he is looking after some other centres as well run by

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the Rupani Foundation. The centre operates from 12:30pm to 2:30 pm Monday to Saturday and

remains closed over school holiday periods. They reach to the centre an hour before the centre starts

and leave almost one hour after the centre closes. Parents are involved in the development of low

cost no cost learning materials as well. In addition to centre-based sessions the centre provides a

broad range of stimulating activities based on students’ and community’s interests (check above for

programme details). In the morning and evening FSMs visit homes to conduct sessions and talks

with the entire families. The centre is highly praised by parents and all other residents of Bubur

village and surrounding areas for its outstanding programmes for the development of young

children, broad range of co-curricular activities, and low cost no cost relevant materials mostly

developed by local teachers and parents particularly mothers. Children are offered with a

developmentally appropriate program that provides them with foundations for learning, skills for

building relationships, a sense of community and resilience for life.

Characteristics of the community /context in which this programme is operating

The community where the programme is operationalized resides in one of the small village of 179

households. The village is situated approximately 80 km towards west from Gilgit city in Gilgit

Baltistan. The village is isolated and far from road side and there are no proper transportation

system for the village. A wooden suspension bridge connects the village with the Chitral-GB road

which runs across the river. Houses are mostly made of mud and comprised one big residential hall

and one or two rooms for the guests.

While the community may be underprivileged, it is also vibrant, multi ethnic, multi-religious and

mobile. Community members are motivated and work in agriculture, have their own lands (farms)

and harvest the cash crops which hardly fulfils their round the year needs due to small landholdings

. Most people are associated with subsistence agriculture in a terraced landscape fed by glacier

water. The farms are small and only wheat and maize are main crops produced by the villagers. The

produce from the farms are not enough to feed a small family of five members therefore farmers

with small farms go to the labour market to earn some money to feed their children, pay schools

fees, make cloths for their children and health expenses. A small fraction of members are

Government employers, army soldiers, teachers, businessmen and small shops owners in village and

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surrounding of the villages. In addition, community leaders have various leadership positions with

religious and political capacities.

There are few schools in the village but the quality of teaching and learning is not so good both in

public and private schools. The process of teaching and learning are mainly framed within a

didactic approach of teaching and learning, which address certain areas of development but do not

teach the child as a whole. Students are encouraged to learn concepts by heart rather than

conceptual understanding. There are no health facilities in the village therefore they travel to other

places to see the doctor or to buy medicines. Some of the villagers who cannot bear expenses of

health facilities and care services, local and traditional handling of the health issues are practiced.

From the informal discussion it was found that mothers who attend “Informed Parents Programme

with their children are now becoming more aware of the prevention and cleanliness practices which

is an embedded in ECD progreamme

Families of various tribes and different sect live in the same village. They respect each other’s point

of views, religion, and individualities. Members of the same tribe, brotherhood and sect share

borders of farms, houses and work for each other in the farms. They help each other in harvesting,

ploughing farms, marriage ceremonies, funerals and watering crops and trees. There is a culture of

helping each other in the community. Two different school of thoughts of Islam live together in the

village from very ancient time and they have never fought with each other. They truly practice

diversity and pluralism. They respect each other’s cultures, traditions, celebrations, and family

structures. All of them speak the same language. There are no restrictions in marrying with boys

and girls from a different brotherhood and sect.

Nature and scope of this programme -

The programme is running with participation and involvement of respective community. The

Foundation has provided one time financial and technical support in the shape of picture books, age

relevant toys, furniture, carpets and stationary and trained FSMs, with monitoring and technical

oversight.

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Community based ECD (informed parents programme) Model

Key Stakeholders

The programme is run by the educational society with the support of local community, parents and

Rupani Foundation. Roles and responsibilities for all the stakeholders are defined and

communicated. The Foundation is responsible to provide one time teaching and learning resources,

capacity development programmes for FSMs (refersher trainings are also part of the programme)

and regular field based monitoring support through supervisor, the people of the village are

committed to send their children and parents to attend the sessions and pay $1 monthly fees and

ECD committee is responsible to look after overall matters of the centre. The committee is

comprised on 10 members from the community including male and female members.

Current enrolment is as under.

39 Children

39 Mothers

39 Fathers

5 Pregnant mothers

Resource Center

Home

FSM

RF technical support

Grand parentsCommunity

Parents

Children

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Grandparents also attend sessions quite frequently and are key participants of the programme

however they are not registered participants. They attend the sessions when mothers are not able

to participate in any session due to work at home. So grandparents bring children to the centre

and participates. Father are registered but there attendance was not regular due to engagement

with their agriculture activities and fathers who are out stationed for labour.

Mission and Goals of the community based IP Program

The program is aim to:

Empower parents for optimum development of their children and to set a pathway of lifelong learning

through timely information and support during the first three years.

The goal of this project is to provide a comprehensive program of education for parents and primary

caregivers of children from prenatal to three years of age. The purpose of this project is to assist

parents and primary caregivers in building their parenting skills and thus becoming their child’s most

influential teachers.

The objectives of the project:

Increase knowledge and enhance parenting skills of parents and primary caregivers to become active

agents of change in the child’s holistic development;

Create a safe and positive parenting environment at home;

Alleviate stress from parenting and promote a peaceful environment

Engage parents in regular literacy activities with their children;

Identify critical areas of need through regular assessment and ongoing screening of the child.

The child should receive:

An active, positive and stimulating environment to grow in;

Love and nurturing for optimum development of their brain and body;

Appropriate care as needed through ongoing screening and early intervention.

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Program and Service Delivery Mechanism

The program delivery is through trained field support staff known as “Family Support Motivators

(FSMs)” under the direct guidance and support of Field Supervisor.

Formal sessions are conducted inside the building of the program and home visits are conducted by

the FSMs to educate parents and other family members about prenatal and postnatal caring

procedures. They share information with parents on age-appropriate milestones, age-appropriate

stimulating activities, and parenting topics suited to the age of the child. Sessions for parents do also

cover topics such as importance of playing with children, and challenge children’s problem solving

skills and observe the child’s developmental growth.

FSMs and parents keep records of children progress and other activities conducted for the

development of children. Parents keep records in a profile of their children through observation of

their children and track their children’s growth, interests, activities and reactions. Parents read to their

children on daily basis and attend family sessions daily basis at the resource centers.

FSMs conduct regular home visits to guide and help parents in child development programmes. They

observe interactions of parents with their children in their homes. During home visits they also track

the child’s developmental milestones and conduct need analysis for proving further support to

children and to their parents. They share key messages for child’s nurturing and guide parents with

age appropriate activities for their children

Measurable outcome of the Programme

Parents particularly mothers have improved effective practices of parenting and child rearing

skills after attending the programme. They are now more aware of their effective roles for

the holistic development of their children, they are socialized and confident.

Some of the families have established learning corners at their homes where children play

with toys and read books. In learning corners children have access to materials for

exploration. Their choices are pursued by adults and they are provided support for their

language development through interaction and providing them opportunities to express their

views and share their experiences in front of the parents.

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Some parents have made age-appropriate toys out of the low- cost- no-cost materials and

some have bought expensive toys and materials for their children by compromising their

other affordable expenses after realizing the importance of ECD. These materials are being

actively accessed and used by the children.

In the resource centre children and parents both have easy access to age relevant books and

toys. Parents reads books with their children and play with toys in the presence of their

children helps parents to understand their children learning needs.

Data depicts that in a joint family system of Bubur village all the members of the family

play key role in nurturing children. In joint family setup a child has greater opportunity of

learning and interaction with more members of the family. Recognizing the key roles of

family members, the centre organizes regular sessions for all caregivers including

grandparents.

Before starting the programme decisions were made by male members of the family and

female members of the family in this village have had limited say in decision making.

However now the research participants believe that this programme has created a culture of

dialogue, discussion and sharing of ideas in families therefore now there is a culture of

shared decisions making.

Evidences suggest that mothers and other members of the family who attend sessions on

regular basis now can speak good English. They have developed language skills through

interaction with FSMs, children and other participants of the programme during the sessions

as language of instruction is English.

Data shows that there is a positive change in the mindset and life style of the villagers after

launching this programme in the village and neighboring villages. Before the programme a

general tendency was sending children to schools when children were 6 years old or above.

But now parents are aware of early age development therefore have positive attitudes

towards educating children in the early age.

The programme is well taken by the community. Their voices are heard and their say are

included in decision making therefore community members and its leadership is fully

engaged in supporting the program.

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Perceived benefits of the programme

Before launching ECD programme in the Bubur village, the age group of 3 and under was the most

neglected age bracket in the region. There was a culture of sending children to school very late.

There was a time when parents used to give more importance to their farms and animals rather

education. Now there is awareness among mothers and grandmothers. Reflections of mothers show

that they are more aware of child rearing practices, daily life happenings and family needs. They are

regular in their attendance to the center. They can present their views in front of people without

hesitations.

Currently 8 children have graduated from this program. The impact of the program is vividly seen

in the performance of graduates. Children who have attended this community centre are top

performers in public and private schools where they have been admitted for further studies. As

document analysis (result sheet) from one of the private school in the Bubur village shows that top 4

students in grade 1 are graduates of this community centre. One of the mother was of the view that

children have given confidence to their parents and grant parents having performed in any platform.

These are children who prepared parents, staff, committee and community to work for them.

Looking at the performance of children attending this centre communities of other villages and

people from sister communities also interested to replicate the programme in their village for their

children. They are in consultation with the educational society for help to opening same kind of

centre. They are ready to arrange rooms, pay teachers salary and look after centre's day to day

activities.

Observed outcomes / benefits of this programme

The programme has made positive impact. Children and mothers both have benefited from the

programme. It was observed that there are plenty of opportunities for children to explore things

around them, interact with teachers, outsiders and other young children in the resource centre.

Teaching and learning resources are easily accessible for children.

They are allowed to play, touch and drag the toy cars and models of animals. Children choices are

valued and are met. They don’t feel shy rather feel happy talking and playing with others. It was

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observed that children enjoy playing with toys and objects. They make different things using

available resources and objects. Children seemed to be confident, socialized and creative.

Interviews of participants and observations of sessions suggest that the program has made a

significant impact on the overall learning

attitude of mothers as well. A high level of

confidence and learning attitude in mothers was

evident. Before attending the programme there was

a perception that children did not know anything.

But after participating in home and resource

centre based sessions they have started

appreciating how children learn and have realized children’s ability to learn new things.

One of the mother argued that parents are now more aware of parenting information and child rearing

practices related to health, nutrition, education and cleanliness. “I learned that young children can

learn from interaction with others, exploration of objects and toys therefore I have organized age

appropriate toys for my two young children. Children learn best when their choices are met”

(Interview parents). Data suggests that the Informed Parents Programme provides supports and

awareness to parents and children related language development, storytelling, poems sharing,

child’s rights, violence, an d punishment. One of the mothers pointed out what was more helpful

for them. “The IP provides opportunity for us to develop our understanding of best child rearing

practices and effective parenting skills. We are now more aware of brain and language development,

and the key role of storytelling in child’s learning. We are now more conscious and curious for

the new coming child” (Mother’s interview)

Data depicts that mothers who attend IP programmes have qualified tests for teaching jobs in public

and private schools in the region. Now they earn money and contribute in financial development of

the family.

Findings suggest that due to the child centered approaches of teaching and learning now mothers

have started involving children in decision making at their homes as well.

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Factors contributing to the effectiveness of this programme

There are various factors in the effectiveness of the IP. Some of them are highlighted in the

following sections.

Commitment of Family Support Motivator (FSMs)

During the data collection a high level of professional commitment and energy was demonstrated

by the FSMs. During the five weeks fieldwork of the researcher, it was observed that FSMs attend

resource centre and visit homes regularly. Commitment of FSMs for the programme emerged as a

pleasant surprise and a very strong indicator for the effectiveness of the programme. FSMs

demonstrated considerable command over the content of the program which is intended to be

delivered to the parents and

children. FSMs come to the class

with full preparation with

resources ready for the class. They

have memorized number of

nursery rhymes, stories and key

messages. One of the FSMs

narrates, “I love teaching and

helping people particularly

children and females. I have natural dedication to work with children. I feel happy talking to,

playing with and working with children. This gives me immense pleasure when I help children to

learn, when watch children learning new skills or new word.” (Interview family support motivator

June 2015)

The caring attitude of the family support motivators towards the children was another positive

disposition observed during the sessions and home visits. I saw a number of times FSM taking

children in their laps and loving them and children were equally responsive with positive attitudes.

Regular Follow-up Support

Another key factor contributed in the effectiveness of the programme was the regular and timely

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follow up support by the Field Supervisor. Supervisor is based in another village and travels to IP

centres in his personal car. He attends the centre for providing academic support to FSMs. He

spends sufficient time in the centre helping FSMs in planning, development of low cost no cost

materials, observing sessions, helping FSMs in weekly planning and in execution of sessions. He

has successful work experience as FSM in one of the IPP and has attended capacity development

programmes for FSMs. Retaining community workers has been a challenge for many programmes

around the world however I found him committed to his work and interested in programs for

children and community members. Sharing his interests and commitment he told that it was work

experience of working with child and family development programmes benefited him in the birth

and development of his only child. “I implement my learning from the programme in my own

family. I used to taught my parents and my wife and prepared them for helping new baby ” One of

the mothers says, “I believe that ongoing monitoring and support is the key factor for the success of

the programme and it is also important for keeping community workers motivated. He also gives

parents the courage and motivation to attend the centre. We know that he will visit us and will ask

questions therefore we prepare ourselves for the program. He helps us whenever visit the centre

and encourages us in the search of knowledge.”

Data from observation and interviews suggests that he has very good working relations with

parents, FSMs and the community members. Everyone in the village knows him by name and gives

respect to him for his commitment for the programme.

No Interference of Government Education Department

Another significant factor highlighted by the participants in their interviews was an interesting point

to note. Government sector education department has no interference in the centre’s day to day

affairs. Participants’ views depict that if the Government was involved in the management of the

this community centre, its effectiveness would be compromised in the sense that there is no

accountability in Government education department. Quality of education is always compromised

in programme run under public education sector. One of the mother was of the view that “They

provide jobs but not the quality. Teachers of Government schools remain absent from their duties

for months and years but nobody asked them. In this centre our teachers are punctual therefore

quality of education is high”.

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ECE in Pakistani public schools is not yet a fully matured, developed or completely understood

sector of education (Malik et al., 2010), therefore Public Sector Education lacks of expertise in the

field of ECE particularly for the age 0-3 therefore it is the most neglected age bracket in the

country.

The programme was designed after a number of consultative sessions with different stakeholders

particularly with the communities of the region to create ownership among the people of the region.

Community has strong attachment and commitment with the centre. They sent their children and

mothers to attend the centre on regular basis, pay fees without any delay and come to the centre

regularly for discussing progress of their children. In preprimary schools of public school system

teachers are not accountable therefore they are not regular in their duties. Although public sector

managed preschools have classrooms, regularly paid teachers and other facilities but the process of

teaching and learning is not up to the mark. Teachers and students follow didactic approaches of

interaction. There is a very strong trend of opening private schools across the country to fill the gap

of poor services of public sector run programmes.

Ongoing Capacity Building of FSMs,

McKinsey and company (2007) narrate that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the

quality of its teachers and the only way to improve outcome is to improve instructions. To ensure

that the centre is able to deliver the best possible instruction for every child it is significant to

develop FSMs into effective instructors. For making them effective instructor and to promote the

quality of learning at the centre there is a system of capacity development in place at Rupani

Foundation for FSMs and other staff. FSMs are provided the opportunity to attend sessions on

regular basis centre-based as well and out of the centre. Field Supervisor regularly visits community

resource centre, observe sessions, provides post observation feedback to FSMs in planning,

execution and evaluation of different sessions. In addition, FSMs are invited in a centre place as

well with other FSMs once a year for a few days to attend professional development programmes.

Through this type of gathering they are being exposed to new development in the field of early

childhood development through various sessions by ECD specialist. They share knowledge,

experience and updates through these sessions.

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Talking about the importance of centre-based sessions, one of the FSMs reports that “training

programmes at Rupani are nicely designed keeping in mind contextual realities and field

experiences. Research based contents are being selected for sharing with us. Every time we attend

the programme get new insights and construct our knowledge with fresh updates and information

for working with parents and children of age 3 and under” (Interview family support motivator

Bubur Gilgit).

Regularity of Mothers and Grandparents in Sessions

One of the noteworthy ECD practices found here was the regularity of mothers in the Informed

Parents Programme sessions. Parents and general public awareness programmes are conducted on

regular basis where parents are educated about the importance of child’s development in early age

and key roles of parents.

Basically, IPP is a family education and awareness programme where children of age 3 and under

attend sessions with their caregivers.

Programme is designed in such a way

where parents are being engaged in the

process of learning with their children.

They construct knowledge together with

children and teachers. Grand/parents are

aware of the importance of attendance in

sessions with their children. It is the

uniqueness of this programme that mothers attend all sessions of IPP with their children and

participate in the process of learning and help their children as well. During the periods of data

collection, attendance of all mothers was high and none of the mother was absent. Their

participation in sessions was participative. They were involved in every step of learning throughout

the sessions. Their involvement in stories, poems, puzzle games, dance and singing was remarkable

and noticeable. Looking at their parents small children were taking real interests in the process of

learning. It was found that during the data collection period grandmothers also attend sessions on

and off basis. They reach to the centre before the time and share their experiences of child rearing

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practices with each other before the class starts. It was told to the researcher that sometime mothers

lead the sessions in the presence of FSMs and enjoy learning through teaching.

Availability of Age-appropriate Low-cost and No-cost Learning Resources

Data suggest that children best learn through exploration of the environment, manipulation of

materials and interaction with others. Children lose interests if the classrooms are dry. Findings

from other studies confirm that availability of resources are of great significance in young

children’s learning and development (Heidemann & Hewitt, 2010). RF has provided different toys,

puzzles and other resources which is supplemented by development of low no cost materials by

mothers at the resource centre which is really good for the development of young. Play and other

resources provided are although not enough in quantity but are relevant and appropriate. There is

great reliance on commercial pictures and toys as children of this village take more interest in

purchased items rather indigenous toys. Parents were of the view that children wait for the time to

go to the centre for playing with resources and toys. Availability of learning resources attracts

children interest and attendance. Teachers were seen to resources and play materials in the sessions

nicely to construct learning. The play materials that are familiar to children, those which are

appropriate in the context of Pakistan are small and light balls, dolls, toy animals or toy birds or

small trains that children can watch moving.

It was found that in the classrooms young children have access to challenging play materials that

involve problem solving or decision making. Though the number of low cost no cost materials were

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not sufficient to allow all the

children to explore and

develop as according to

Heidemann and Hewitt‟s

(2010) inadequacy of

learning materials increases

disruption. It was observed

that there were no outdoor

play equipment like swing,

slide and seesaw and no

proper space outside for children to stretch and play. The garden attached to the resource centre is

for planting trees and growing grass. The participants of this study unanimously emphasized on the

necessity of adequate and culturally appropriate play materials.

CHALLENGES

Dearth of fathers’ participations: Father participation in child’s development sessions was limited

due to farming activity and fathers who are out of village for livelihood. Even fathers’ participation

in child’s rearing practices such as feeding children, dressing up them and playing with them were

also limited. However they understand its importance therefore encourage their partners to attend

IPP on regular basis. In the context of Pakistan children below the age of 8 years are attached with

mothers, grandmothers and sisters therefore they feel happy playing with mother figure of the

family. Two key challenges were unanimously identified by the participants were as under;

Transitions to next classes: Data show that there are numerous transitions in children’s life.

Transition from the centre to normal schools is the main issue for the children of this centre.

They cannot adjust themselves in the new school easily because of the teaching and learning

styles and procedures in new schools. When asked, children told that other schools have no toys

and other materials to play with them. Teachers are so strict and they cannot talk in front of

them. Children are not allowed to talk and share ideas so whatever they have learnt in this centre

de-learn when they attend new schools.

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Lack of physical infrastructure: There is no purposefully built building for the centre. The

existing building is given by one of the villagers to use for the centre and he charge very small

amount as rent. So the community is thinking to build their own building for the centre however

they have no funds available to construct a new building for this purpose. The existing building

was built for residential purposes.

FUNDING SOURCES OF THE CENTRE

Since the inception of the programme, family donations from Mr. Nasruddin Rupani, founder and

Chairman of Rupani Foundation, is the main source of funds for this centre. In addition, the centre

charge 1 dollar fees per month from the families enrolled in the programme.

CONCLUSION

The Informed Parents’ Programme of Bubur village was initially launched with the technical and

one time material support from Rupani Foundation with maximum community participation and

ownerships. The Foundation has earned good name in the regions for its quality programmes for

children 0-3 and for their parents within limited time since its inception. There is huge awareness

among parents and other community members in the region and their child rearing, caring and

educating practices are changed now. Members of the community and parents believe that children

are constructor of knowledge whereas previously they were of the view that children are like empty

vessels therefore parents and teachers have the responsibility to pour ideas into their minds. During

home visits for data collection in the village researcher personally observed usage of learning

corners and displays of children work in their homes which is huge change in a typical Pakistani

village where ECD is not yet recognized as formal education in public sector of education. Home

environment has become friendlier for learning. Homes have been transformed into ECD centres

and child development practices have been improved within limited time of intervention of Rupani

Foundation.

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