Background

Kalur is an area situated in the Rawat district of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It is a diverse community enriched by its many faiths including Islam, Christianity and Sikhism. The majority of the population falls within the low income bracket of the population of Rawalpindi. Its main source of income relies heavily on local produce and farming. The area suffers highly form insufficient healthcare, schooling, clean water and job prospects - all of which tie into the high illiteracy rate within the area. It is for these reasons why many people within these areas are unable to allow children to attain a level of education which would be beneficial for all parties. Lack of hospitals (the nearest being nearly thirty miles away) and schools mean that for many children life is spent helping the family within the local farming areas. This provides a minimal income and makes the child subject to a life of hard work, low pay and high illiteracy. Also, travel to the local town centre is far and families are often bound to the boundaries of their own home due to expense and distance of travelling.

Due to the social layout of society children with special needs are often overlooked and often disregarded from society. In a society where labour is the main source of income children with disabilities are often seen to be surplus to requirements and are often left at home, with no source of education or integration into society. It has also been seen that many amenities we see in England such as Braille or Mincom Systems (for deaf people) have never been imagined in areas such as this. Schools are being provided within the area but no such school caters specifically for children with special needs. Also, rural areas face the problem of schools being very limited in what they can offer.

As John F Kennedy once said "A child miss educated is a child lost," it is the view of the Board of Trustees of Niaz Foundation UK to help provide a high standard of education for children with special needs regardless of ethnicity and faith. The ultimate goal is to provide curricular education, as well as key social skills required to integrate into society and eventually allow these children to reach a level of understanding that they may be able to use to benefit themselves and their families. This goal is aimed to be made viable through the construction of a purpose built English Medium school in an area which already faces many difficulties in providing education for its children

Board of Trustees - UK

Total accountability for the project and future running of the Niaz Foundation School For Special Need Children rests with an eleven member board of trustees based in the United Kingdom. This board is comprised of a Chairman, Vice-chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer and seven appointed members - all of whom will be operate on a voluntary basis always acting upon the best interest of the School. The Board is advised by a five tier appointed management committee, who advise on necessary expenditure and decisions needed to be taken with regards to the functioning of the school. These decisions are carried out through a unanimous or majority voting system. The Board Of Trustees expect a quarterly report from both Principle and Management Committee in Pakistan

Appointment Management - Pakistan

A five tier management liaison committee is established in Pakistan consisting of one General Manager and four support staff on a voluntary basis. The support staff will is a direct link between the management committee and the principle of the school. They're advice will is passed onto the General Manager who advises the Board Of Trustees accordingly. The Management Committee expects a quarterly report from the Principle of the School.

Proposed Finance

It is proposed by the Board OF Trustees to employ local staff. All salaries and wages will be higher than the local average. A summary of the monthly expenditure is as follows:

POSITION EXPENDITURE TYPE MONTHLY COST
General Manager Voluntary Voluntary
Principle Salary 9,000-10,000 Rupees
Senior Teachers (Classes 6-10) Salary 5,000-7,000 Rupees
Junior Teachers (Classes KG-5) Salary 4,000-5,000 Rupees
Caretaker Salary 3,000-4,000 Rupees
Gardner/Cleaner Salary 1,000-3,000 Rupees
Transportation Expenses 35,000 - 40,000 Rupees
School Uniform Expenses 2,000- 2,200 Rupees
Books/Stationary Expenses 1,000-1,200 Rupees
Electricity Bills and Maintenance 8,00 Rupees
General Maintenance (Working Float) Bills and Maintenance 1,300 - 2,000 Rupees

Future Development

After the latest visit to the site from members of the board in the UK in 2010 proposals have been set in place for the next stage of the development.

At the current time the second floor is now nearly complete with more class room and facilities available for the Schools patrons. The general layout mirrors that of the ground floor hence increasing its capacity by nearly 50%. It is understood that there is approximately 90 children who have a variety of needs including, children with no sight, children who are hard of hearing and children with mental illnesses. The number of children with special needs is increasing on a regular basis and after completion of the second floor the adjacent site is proposed to be developed on where a small Mosque (catering for those with special needs including wheelchair access) will be made and a small health centre where a local doctor may reside a few times a week advising on medical issues for the students. The final proposal at this stage is to increase the outdoor playing area for the children incorporating grass playing areas and increased facilities such as climbing frames etc. This may be done by redevelopment of existing grounds or through the extension of the current grounds by purchasing of adjacent land dependant on cost feasibility.