These vignettes provide snapshots of each of the six low-cost private schools that have participated in this study. Each of the six participating schools is enrolled under the Education Voucher Scheme (EVS) managed by The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). The research is carried out in three different cities across Pakistan. The low-cost private schools in the study were set up and established before any involvement from PEF. The Punjab Education Foundation encourages the promotion of quality education through a Public-Private-Partnership encouraging and supporting the efforts of the private sector through technical and financial assistance. Adhering to the rules and regulations of the Punjab Education Foundation schools must be teaching the curriculum approved by the Punjab Text Book Board. Additionally schools must also be registered with the School
74 Education Department. Along with individual school examinations yearly tests are conducted by PEF, known as Quality Assurance Tests (QATs), to assess the performance of the school. Sanctions are imposed on under-performing schools, and this includes a withdrawal of the subsidy. The PEF picks which schools and which children are eligible for financing. A school’s location is a major determining factor, along with infrastructure requirements. The provincial government sets the price and schools are given a subsidy for each child, whereby a “top-up” fee is strictly prohibited.
School 1
The principal of School 1 has been running the school since it was first established in 2005. He has been working as a professional in the education sector for more than 20 years. The school has been participating in the scheme for 6 years. The scheme had been adopted previously but was not as effective, as the principal stated. The enrolment level remained low for voucher students and parents were not provided with adequate support or information. After a revision of the scheme it was re-established at the school. The school charges a monthly fee of between Rs. 400- 500 (£3.02 - £3.78). There are around 600 students who attend this school, majority of them receiving education vouchers. Their ages range between 4 years and 14 years old. The school has a main campus and a sub campus. The school currently employs 28 teachers. The school is located in the city of Rawalpindi, in a nearby district. The school is located in between small streets and the local bazaar. Each class consists of 30 students. Under PEF regulations, class size must not exceed 35 students. The facilities in the school are of a satisfactory standard, with each class containing chairs and desks, and providing washroom facilities, for both boys and girls.
School 2
The school has been participating in the voucher scheme since 2012, however, the school was first established in 2008. The school manager has been running the school for nearly 20 years. The school manager studied in America earning a degree in business management. The school manager has recently opened another private school in the city. The school is situated in a very poor vicinity. The school manager described the area as ‘drug addicted’. Residents and students also described the area as ‘poor’. The school consists of two separate buildings; a junior and middle school. School fees are divided according school levels; Rs. 550 (£3.93) for primary, Rs. 600 (£4.29) up to middle, and
75 R.s 700 (£5.00) for secondary. Uniform and texts books are provided by the schools, in line with PEF regulations. There are around 9 to 10 low-cost private schools in the surrounding area, and there is competition among these schools.
School 3
School 3 is a charity-based school. The Welfare Organisation was founded in July 2002. The Educational Welfare Organization works closely with non-government organizations (NGOs) and collaborates in various projects of human welfare. The schools main source of income is through raising funds. The main way in which this is done is by collecting dry waste from homes, segregating it and then selling it. The second way is to ask affluent people of the community, if they are able to support and sponsor a child. The minimum sponsor fee is Rs. 700 (£5.00) per child, in which their lunch, food, milk, books, uniform, and tuition are accommodated for. The school is part of a chain of schools run by the organisation, in total there are nine school with approximately more than 5,000 children. The money which they receive from PEF is said to be a very nominal amount, which covers up to 20% of the expenditure from that amount. The monthly intake, as a whole, from the 9 schools is 30 lakh (1lahk = Rs. 100,000; £2142.80) a month, from PEF the total fund from students which they receive is 6 lakh (£4309.91). Fess are charged at Rs.400-600 (£2.89-£4.29) per month per student.
School 4
The Education voucher scheme has been running at this school since 2009. The school first opened in 2006, and the starting fee was Rs. 50 per student (£0.36). To date, there are 494 voucher students and 132 non-voucher students. Before the school applied to enroll onto the voucher scheme, current enrolment stood at 250 students. In terms of profit, the school manager stated they are “breaking even”. There are now two buildings, (a boy’s campus and a girl’s) before there was the one building. There are to date, 30 teachers working at this school. Fees for non-voucher student’s stands at Rs. 300 (£2.14) for junior classes (nursery to class 4) and is Rs. 500 (£3.57) for middle classes (class 5 onwards). There are parents who have enrolled their children at the school and are on the waiting list to receive a voucher.
76 The school was founded in 2006 and enrolled on to the education voucher scheme two years later in 2008. Prior to enrolling onto the education voucher scheme, school fees stood at Rs.100 (£0.71) per student per month, with current fees starting at Rs. 550 (£3.93). There are presently 850 students enrolled into this school; 600 voucher students and 250 non voucher students. When asked about how much profit the school makes, the school entrepreneur stated there is “no loss, no profit”. However, prior to the implementation of the scheme, the profit stood 2 lakh (Rs. 200,000/ £1428.53). The school owner has recently set up a chain of college’s in the city. The school owner was reluctant to be interviewed and is critical of the voucher scheme, thus setting up colleges, as he no longer feels that the school, under the voucher scheme, is viable. The school owner spoke of children who were once learning for free at the school, having moved to schools in the surrounding areas, and are willing to pay fees up to Rs. 1000 (£7.14). Two years prior, there were 1100 voucher students enrolled at the school, now the total number voucher students is 600. This is due to children graduating and leaving but also due to parents who are no longer happy with the voucher scheme. The school is no longer accepting students and has been rejecting students for the past two years.
School 6
School 6 is run by a husband and wife team, founded over 10 years ago. The education voucher scheme has been running for more than 5 years. Starting fees stood at Rs. 100 (£0.71). The fees has now increased to Rs.250 (1.79) for kindergarten, Rs. 500 (£3.57) until class 8 and increases step wise. Before enrolling onto the scheme, there were 300 students. Based on current enrolment there are 106 non-voucher students and 484 EVS students. The school was the first school PEF selected in the city of Faisalabad. Profit before the scheme was Rs. 10,000-20,000 (£71.43-£142.85), presently stands at Rs. 80,000 (£5714.13) profit, which makes school 6 the most profitable low-cost private school in this study. There are 28 classroom in this school all furnished with desks and chairs and allocated across two buildings. The second building is under undergoing construction.