South Asian Pulse
Editor: Rana Abdul Baqi
“Tameer-e-Millat” was a vision, a dream, and a passion: by Dr. Zaheer Ahmed
Tameer-e-Millat Foundation
“Tameer-e-Millat” was a vision, a dream, and a passion, long before it became an organization utterly devoted to the cause of Education. It is the Brain-child of a few expatriate Pakistanis, who after having served at highest professional level in United States, returned home with a commitment to spread knowledge in their motherland. “Tameer-e-Millat” emerged as a non-discriminatory , non Pakistan, and not-for-profit education-driven organization in 1987.“Educate Pakistan” initiative
The name “Tameer-e-Millat” was given to an idea conceived by Dr. Zaheer Ahmad and his expatriate associates in United States in the mid eighties who eventually decided to come back to their beloved homeland and put into practice their vision. Their love with the land insisted them to serve their own people by creating educational opportunities for every common man who was unable to seek knowledge at his own. This dream was materialized as “Tameer-e-Millat” Foundation in 1987.“Tameer-e-Millat” Foundation (TMF) is a non-Governmental, Not-for-profit organization, formally registered on 23rd November 1992 under Societies Act of 1860, re-registered under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies Act 1961 on 19th October 1999.
Following the establishment of very first school at Khewra, District Jhelum in 1987. TMF’s educational endeavours multiplied unhindered. From single-classroom Community Primary Schools to Model Schools, Schools of Excellence and full-fledged City of Education, TMF has come a long way in past 20 years and is now on its way to starting academic operations at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, an independent degree awarding institution.
The declining literacy rate in Pakistan as compared to developed countries is due to scarce resources, gender discrimination, and other social and cultural factors. Amidst this “hopeless” reality, TMF has taken the responsibility of educating people with its “Educate Pakistan” initiative.
TMF is indulged in education sector with the dedication that every child should get his basic right of education. Special emphasis is on the females of remote areas who do not have the opportunities of getting education. At the moment, TMF is running over 460 educational institutions, educating more than 25,000 students, employing over 1000 teachers and serving 700 communities in above 20 districts of the country.
TMF has created “Islands of Change”, dotting entire Pakistan, and giving hope that these small islands of change will usher in a changed Pakistan.
Catering education to under-privileged
More than 100 million children have no access to basic education across the world and 60 million of them are girls. Pakistan is no exception; where 165,700 public primary schools for boys as compared to 60,000 schools for girls, whereas net primary enrollment rate for girls is 39.5 percent and for boys it is around 58 percent. Of those, who complete primary education only 18 percent are numerate and 7 percent are literate to an expected level of competency. About 50 percent children in Pakistan dropout before completing primary education and the largest grou8p of children out of schools are girls.Among 10-18 years old who have ever attended primary schools, 15 percent left before completing primary school. A higher proportion drops out in rural areas (18 percent) than in urban areas (11 percent). Girls are slightly more likely to leave school earlier than are boys in rural areas, in many biasness against female education and empowerment. Moreover, poverty, gender bias, lack of female teachers and quality education are some of the factors worsening the situation.
Since, mission of TMF is to spread education in all parts of country; Community Primary Schools are developed to facilitate the following:
1.Providing education to under-privileged communities at ‘low or no cost’.
2.women empowerment and development through education.
3.Negotiating modern educational facilities.
4.Community participation.
5.Provision of resource material, books, stationery, posters, school uniforms, etc.
6.Ensuring quality education standards through extensive training that goes beyond theoretical knowledge.
7.Rapid monitoring and evaluation system.