INSAAF AFTER NOON SCHOOL POLICY

Government of the Punjab is assigning paramount importance to its constitutional obligation for provision of free and compulsory education to the children between the ages of 5 to 16 years and is undertaking multiple initiatives to impart quality education to the children at their doorsteps. In this regard an initiative with the name of ‘INSAF AFTERNOON SCHOOL PROGRAM’ is being launched in selected schools of 22 districts to ensure transition from primary to post primary level and address the issue of access and overcrowding in the schools of Punjab.

The afternoon classes will be operated as per the following guidelines:

i) The CEOs of the selected districts will ensure that all the notified schools immediately start afternoon classes as per following descriptions:

1. Middle school classes in the buildings of notified primary schools.
2. High school classes in the buildings of notified middle schools.

ii) The schools have been selected on the basis of following criteria:

1. Primary schools have been selected where there are no middle schools in the concerned union council or in a radius of 3 kms (for boys) and 2 kms (for girls). There are significant drop out cases (alter primary education) in the area. There are at least two classrooms available along with all necessary basic facilities in the primary school and physical access to schools is easy and safe.
2. Middle schools have been selected where there are no high schools in the concerned union council or in the radius of 5 kms for boys and 3 lints for girls. All the basic facilities like drinking water, toilet, electricity and boundary wall are available in the school. The schools have easy and safe physical access.

iii) The leaching and non-teaching staff hired for afternoon schools shall be paid honorarium through the school council from the funds provided for this purpose. The Head Teacher with the consent of school council members will hire teachers from amongst his staff members, retired teachers or qualified private persons having master or bachelor degree as per the requirement for smooth functioning of afternoon schools. The staff of afternoon schools shall be given honorarium per month for managing the school as under:

iv) Maximum number of posts for afternoon schools will be allocated as per following criteria:

• If the total enrollment in all classes of an afternoon school remains less than the minimum enrollment mentioned in table above, the honoraria will be paid on a proportionate basis, i.e., it should be proportionate to the actual enrollment figure vis-a-vis the required minimum enrollment. For example if requirement of minimum enrollment was 80 students in two high school classes, and if the maximum number of total students in those classes was 40 during any month of the last academic year, the staff will be paid 50 percent of the honoraria, and so on.
• As an added component of Insaf Afternoon School Program’, transportation facility will be provided to eligible students, bicycles for boys and vouchers for girls students (@maximum Rs. 1500 per month). The bicycles and vouchers will be provided by school councils from the funds provided for this purpose. The eligibility criteria for provision of transport facility will be as follows:
• The student is enrolled in Insaf afternoon school program.
• Minimum distance between school and students’ residence should be more than 2 km for girls and 3 Ion for boys.
• Students maintain a monthly school attendance of 80% or more.
• Parents/guardian of the student provide an affidavit that the student will continue his/her education till completion of the secondary schooling.
• Student submits a written permission on the prescribed form from his family to receive and drive bicycle to reach school and back.
• Children of parents/guardians having income level less than or equal to Rs. 15000 per month.
• The bicycles will be the property of the school. If a student drop-out he will return the bicycle forthwith.

Afternoon schools will start classes after the closing of morning school. The opening and

closing times will be notified by the DEAs as per their requirements, environment & weather conditions. However, it will be ensured that minimum 4:30 hours teaching takes place every day.