The flood disaster in Pakistan – luck in disguise in the Bagrot Valley

The almost incredible tsunami in July this year has brought great suffering and the loss of their existence to many people in Pakistan. Large tracts of land were devastated. This has long-term effects on the infrastructure of the entire country and the livelihood of a significant part of the population. In the Bagrot valley, the damage is comparatively low. People were not hurt. Residential buildings and school buildings were not destroyed. Some fields, paths and many irrigation channels have been spilled by muddy floods. However, a significant part of the harvest was destroyed by the floods. Many families are missing the necessary income from the sale of agricultural products. For some weeks, the valleys of the Gilgit-Baltistan region were cut off from the outside world, the major roads were not passable and the power and telephone supply was interrupted. The medical supply failed. The indirect consequences are considerable: enormous price rises for many everyday goods and only very low crop yields. It is the crops that make up the livelihoods of most families. In view of the shortage of many everyday goods, such as wheat, household gas and gasoline, prices have in some cases doubled and increased. Until the next harvest in the coming year and the restoration of all supply routes, the families have to manage with far less than usual. The schools in the valley have resumed operation after the summer holidays. For the children, normality has entered everyday life. Given the precarious supply situation and the frightening experiences over the summer, this is a positive and therefore very important experience for all.

Monika Girls High School in Bagrot, Pakistan

In 1990, 20 years ago, I lived in Bagrot as part of a field research. The children born then are grown up today. Much has changed since then in the valley. Thus, unlike the older generation, the majority of children have the opportunity to attend school, including girls. In May 2010 I spent my holidays again in the Bagrot valley - already in May it was unusually rainy and cool. I often and gladly visited the girls' school. The girls are making good progress and doing very well at the annual exams compared to the boys. They expressed their satisfaction in the private conversations with me about the learning atmosphere at the school and the opportunity to study there in peace. This year the change of teachers was relatively small. A factor that greatly influences the quality of teaching. The school is run very well and by a steady hand. We owe this to the local coordinator. He is deputy headmaster of the Government Boys High School in Bagrot.

The School in Numbers

The ninth grade had as many as 86 students at the beginning of the new school year in April and had to be divided into two classes. This is a great success and speaks for the quality and high reputation of the school. This is particularly due to the two local coordinators Ahmad Ali and Muhammad Sharif. Over the course of the year, they take care of the many small and large questions of students, parents and teachers and manage the interests and interests of the school with great diplomatic skill.

New Training Offer

The Monika Girls High School has 362 students: 299 girls attend grades 1 to 10 and 63 students attend 11^th and 12^th grades as well as the preparatory course for "Certificate Teaching". The 10^th grade consists of 88 students! It was divided into two classes. The older students and students come from all villages of the Bagrot valley. In primary school, seven teachers teach. Five are funded by the provincial school board and two new assistant teachers are funded by donations. In Middle and High School eight teachers teach - 6 male, 2 female, all of which are also funded by donations. The college classes, i.e. the 11^th and 12^th classes are taught by three teachers, the preparatory class for the exam for ‘Certificate Teaching’ by another teacher. They also receive their salary from donations. The monthly costs for the 14 teachers currently total € 800.

In view of our modest means, there was nothing left for extraordinary measures such as the acquisition of teaching materials or a reading contest. It meant setting priorities and supporting the professional interests of young women. In addition, the salaries of all “old” teachers had to be adjusted retroactively from January this year on because of the significant price increases for everyday goods such as wheat, flour, oil, sugar, rice, firewood, gas, etc. Prices have risen by 50-100% over the past 12 months.

Female Students Traveling

Since some months, the college students are taught in the afternoon in the classrooms of the third and new school building. The building is still not completely ready for occupancy, it has structural defects that are only very slowly fixed. But three smaller classrooms are now usable. There are enough classrooms available during the two classes in the morning and afternoon. Annually in June, the 11^th and 12^th grade year exams take place over a period of 14 days. These exams students from Bagrot must graduate from a government college to be recognized. Many have relatives in a larger location near the Bagrot Valley, which also has a government college. The candidates for the examination temporarily went in and out of relatives houses. Relatives told me proudly on the phone and thanked all the supporters for the new opportunities that young women have to offer through our initiative. The young women are so obvious on the road, that would have been unimaginable a few years ago. In the meantime, a young man from Bagrot came to Sweden to study for a master's degree and we visited him there in September. Of course we hope that this example will be followed by young women in a few years' time.

No School Fees!

At Monika Girls High School and College Classes, school fees have never and will never be charged. All girls in Bagrot should have the opportunity to attend school. Parents have to answer for school clothes, books, notebooks, pens, school bags, etc. They also forgo part of the work of their daughters in the household and in agriculture to enable them to attend school every day.

New Support Measures

During the summer and winter holidays, special support courses will be organized starting this year, especially for 9^th and 10^th grade students. One focus will be on special education in the natural sciences. Very good knowledge of the natural sciences is also in demand in Pakistan and gives girls access to a wide range of training opportunities. The summer vacation action has literally fallen into the water. All concerned were busy with cleaning up after the torrential rain.
Also for English remedial teaching would be urgently needed. But there is a shortage of qualified teachers in Bagrot. At some point there may be volunteers from Germany who take over this important task for a few weeks or months. Accommodation and meals are provided.

Full official recognition promised

The Monika Girls High School has been officially recognized for five years, but so far the school board has only created staffing positions for primary school teachers. During my visit in May, together with dignitaries from Bagrot, we had a conversation with the county representative in the provincial parliament, Aftab Haider, who was responsible for the district, and asked for his help in setting up the necessary personnel posts. Another request was the extension of the school to Higher Secondary School. That would include the 11^th and 12^th grades, which we have been offering funded by donations for five years now. Aftab Haider agreed to take care of both matters. He asked to pay the staff costs for another two years. Until then, he hopes for a positive decision. The extension to the Higher Secondary School, he promised in another two years. We will take the honorable Member by his word and remind him every year of his promise. However, given the new situation caused by the tsunami, we must expect government funds and activities to flow primarily into reconstruction efforts in the region.

Scholarships for outstanding students

This year, too, I have again taken on four scholarships for outstanding third and fourth grade students in the valley from economically poor families. The best test result was shown by three students from the village of Datuchi and a student from the village of Bulchi. They are now visiting the private BASE Public School, a young initiative of the local self-help organization Bagrot Association for Social Enhancement (BASE) for the joint education of boys and girls. For the past three years, I have awarded four scholarships each year. These students are now in the 4^th to 7^th grade. They come from all the villages of the valley. During my walks through the villages I was repeatedly asked by mothers about the possibility of a scholarship for the daughters.
The school fees for a student amount to 40 EUR per year.

A thousand thanks and best wishes to all friends of the girls' school

All students of the Monika Girls High School send their warmest regards to the supporters in Germany and Holland. The girls and teachers were overjoyed at the great interest in their education and very impressed by the diverse commitment to the distant school. The photo of class 7d of the Ursulinenrealschule, Cologne was hung on behalf of all supporters in the school office and a few days later added the motto “Humanity is not a question of spatial proximity or distance”. The students regretted that they could not get to know the “German sisters”. The Ursuline students had organized a “Readathon” over the Christmas holidays 2009/2010 and thus awarded an impressive donation sum.

Greetings from Hamburg!

Monika Schneid

November 2010

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