Out of school, not out of options: But how ‘educated’ is Punjab’s non-formal learning system?

Lahore web desk …Punjab’s non-formal education (NFE) sector serves as a beacon of hope for hundreds of thousands of out-of-school children, offering a rare second chance at education and literacy in communities where proper formal schooling remains a distant dream for the young of the nation.

Punjab’s Non-Formal Basic Education (NFBE) Department, set up in 2002, is the only separate facility for non-formal education. In Sindh, non-formal education falls under the Ministry of School Education and Literacy; in Balochistan, it is controlled by the Ministry of Social Welfare; while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), it is overseen by the Education Ministry. Federally, the programme is managed by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.

The Punjab Literacy and Non-Formal Education Policy (PLNFEP) 2019 marks the first-ever policy for Punjab launched during the Buzdar government since the establishment of the Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department in 2002. This policy provided a comprehensive framework for this sector to eradicate illiteracy and improve access to education for all.

The NFBE programme was first introduced in Pakistan during the 1950s under the name “Adult Basic Education Programme,” while several non-formal education initiatives have been launched since then. Eventually, NFBE schools were initially established in 1996 under the Prime Minister’s Literacy Commission.

Dr Khurram Shahzad, Director General (DG) of Literacy & Non-Formal Basic Education (L&NFBED), Punjab, says that currently, of a total of 25.3 million out-of-school children in Pakistan, 9.6 million are in Punjab alone. These include children who have never been to school or dropped out at some point. The department’s basic mandate is to provide primary education to children aged 5-16 years who are not enrolled in formal schools.

The non-formal system focuses on reaching the poorest children in the community. The department identifies teachers willing to open schools either in their homes or in the space provided by the community.

According to the Dr Khurram, the minimum qualification required for teachers in the non-formal sector is intermediate, but many of the teachers in these schools hold bachelor’s or master’s degrees as well. These schools require minimal infrastructure, and the department provides them with a literacy kit consisting of a chair and table for the teacher, a blackboard or whiteboard, and mats for students to sit on.

“Unlike formal schools, the non-formal schools are often single-room setups. While it typically takes six years for students in formal schools to complete primary education, students in non-formal schools complete the same education in four years due to the accelerated nature of the programme. Textbooks are free for the children, and teachers don’t charge any fee under the non-formal setup.”

“The curriculum used in both the formal and non-formal sectors is the same and follows the Single National Curriculum approved by the PTB (Punjab Textbook Board). However, it is different for ALSs (Accelerated Learning Schools), but is also PTB-approved,” stated Khurram.