Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

Iqtidar ul Hassan
University of Memphis
Planning Educational Change
LEAD 8140
Dr. Charisse Gulosino
May 8, 2016

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

Abstract
This paper dives into the pro-change and anti-change forces in the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. It tries to see what forces causes restraints
to a plan implementation. It also sees whether the plan alternatives are equitable. The
paper has an analysis of the FATA Action Plan (2013-16). It sees whether the inputs and
activities will logically lead to the desired objectives. In order to look into the theory of
change of the logic model, the existing situation of FATA has been dived into and the
underlying assumptions of the plan have been evaluated against the contextual realities.

Introduction

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

Pakistan is a developing country with quite unimpressive education related

indicators. Overall literacy rate of Pakistan is 58%. Male Literacy rate is 70% and for
female it is 47%. Youth literacy rate (age group between 15 and 24) is 72%, for male it is
81%, whereas for female youth literacy rate is 64%. Education system in Pakistan faces
the problems of access, equity and quality. Total number of school going children is
50,788,806. Number of Out of School Children (OOSC) is 24,023,569, which is 47%,
among these 42.7% are boys and 52.3% are girls. On all the education indicators there is
a great disparity on the bases of gender, poverty, residence, ethnicity, language and
location. One indicator of this disparity is Gender Parity Index (GPI), which is 0.67 for
overall literacy rate, and 0.79 for youth literacy rate. Pakistan spends only 2.7% of GDP
on education which is far bellow the 4% figure recommended by UNESCO. Perennial
problems which worsen this situation are shortage of teachers, ill-trained/old teachers,
non-merit based teachers appointment, teacher absenteeism, lack of basic facilities, poor
school environment, corporal punishment, closed schools/shortage of schools, poverty,
cultural constraints, political interference in education, lack of awareness, poor law and
order and no participation of community in school monitoring and supervision.
Pronounced discrepancies exist among regions on all education indicators.
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is the most underdeveloped region of
Pakistan. FATA is situated on the western border of Pakistan, populated by Pashtun tribes
living according to their tribal code. The region is governed through a special provision in
the constitution called Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR). FATA has the least share of
developmental resources from the government (CAMP). FATA has been the haven of
terrorism. Education suffered the brunt of terrorism. International aid poured into FATA,

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

but the worst kind of cronyism and corruption define the governance in FATA, which led
the assistance to end up in private pockets rather than public welfare. The region is at the
bottom on all education-related indicators. Literacy rate in FATA is 17.2%, male literacy
is 29.51%, whereas female is only 3.00%. Number OOSC is 744,363, which is 60% of
the total number of school age children in FATA.
The Problem
Efforts to increase enrolment and literacy have not been scarce. But the result of
these policies and plans is not significant. The earlier policy and plan documents
displayed a fair degree of pragmatism and identified the constraints and problems facing
the task. Later on verbiage began to replace substance. Subsequent policy and plan
documents were drafted in a language that became more and more flowery and bombastic
and the plans and schemes became more and more heroic and fanciful over time
(Bengali, 1999). The striking common feature of all the policies, plans, programs and
schemes is the philosophical pronouncements about the importance of education. The
philosophical pronouncements about the profound importance of education, lament about
past failures, and glowing optimism about impending success form a pattern across all
policies, planes, programs, and schemes. Almost all the policies, planes, programs, and
schemes, with the exception of Second Five Years Plan, failed to achieve their objectives.
Priorities related to enrolment and literacy targets have been shifting through out
educational planning history. The basic approach to education also suffered sharp swings.
For example, the Seventh Plan (1988-93) categorically rejected non-formal education as a
method of spreading education and literacy, whereas the 1992 Education Policy
resurrected non-formal education, at least for adult education, and the 1998 Education

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

Policy virtually condemned formal education and called for non-formal approach to
providing primary education. This review of the history of the education policy and
planning in Pakistan indicates a failure of the planners to come up with pragmatic and
implementable education plans.
Literature Review
Bengali (1999) has traced the history of educational policy making and planning in
Pakistan since 1947 to 1998. According to him The philosophical pronouncements about
the profound importance of education, lament about past failures, and glowing optimism
about impending success form a pattern across all policies, plans, programs, and schemes
(p.27). Poorly produced and inadequate implementation of education policies and plans
were major hurdles in the development of the education sector in Pakistan. Throughout
the history of this country, new policies and plans were often prepared without giving due
consideration to the causes of failure of previous policies and plans. This situation
highlights the need for the formulation of rational policies and plans as well as an
adequate system for their implementation. (Ahsan, 2003). Aly (2007) has identified two
reasons responsible for the failure of the educational policies and plans, Firstly, there
was no genuine widespread ownership of the policy goals by the majority of stakeholders
and secondly, the strategies and plans develop to achieve the policy goals were unrealistic
and did not have the support of identified and committed resources required to achieve
these targets, or an original tailoring of these goals within the maximum resources
available. According to the same author local plans and national policy has been in
incoherent with each other, plans used to be donors driven and ad hoc based. The reviews
of the plan are the principal catalyst for change (UNICEF, 2013). Baer (1997)

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

distinguishes four targets for plan evaluation: plan alternatives, plan outcomes, impact on
public good, and impacts on professional practice. Hoch (2002) has adopted them in this
manner: plan formation (how well does the plan evaluate the alternatives?); plan
implementation (how well do after plan outcomes meet plan objectives?); plan critique
(how well does the plan serves the public good?) and plan competence (does the planning
improve the professional planning practice?). While reviewing plans usually analytical
methods are used. These techniques are useful, but the complexity of the social problems
calls for more comprehensive and pragmatic approach. Dorner lays out, as quoted by
Hoch, (2002), that a pragmatic version of the rational model is appropriate way to cope
with the complex uncertainty. According to Hoch (2002) a pragmatic approach helps us
find ways to compensate for the limits of our rational blindness and fixed position.
FATA is the most underdeveloped region of Pakistan, inaccessible due to
insecurity because of Taliban, and it has a unique constitutional status because of which
policies and plans for FATA are not only less informed but also they are reviewed with
little rigor (Shinwari, 2012). In order for the plans to be effective they should be prepared
in light of the factors that has impeded the implementation of the previous plans. For this
purpose critical review of plans is worth undertaking (ADB 2004). Theory of change
thinking is used to explain rationales and how things are intended to work, but also to
explore new possibilities through critical thinking, discussion and challenging of
dominant narratives for the benefit of stakeholders (Vogel, 2012).

Research Question and Methodology

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

FATA Plan of Action (2013-16) is looked into through answering these questions:
a) to what extent does the education plan reflects a multifaceted and locally based
approach to the implementation of educational initiatives in FATA? b) To what extent
does logic model and pragmatic planning approaches provide enriched perspectives to
educational planning and implementation? The analysis takes place in the perspective of
Field Force Theory of Kurt Lewin. According to Kurt Lewin the issue is held in balance
by interaction of two opposing sets of forces; those seeking to promote change (driving
forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces) (Green,
2010). The plan is split and fit into logic model. The logic model has these parts:
situation, inputs, activities, outcomes and outputs. To answer the first question analytical
method of evaluation is applied, firstly, to evaluate each component of the plan
separately; secondly, to see into the relationship between respective components of the
plan. A blueprint of the situation is prepared. The viability of the alternatives adopted in
each section of the plan, split and fit into logic model, is judged against that situation
blueprint. The situational blueprint is a contextual analysis of FATA. Cultural, political,
economic, legal and environmental dimensions of the situation and interaction among
them are deeply and extensively looked into. Answering the second question
pragmatically identified plan alternatives are identified and their viability is judged in
relation to the situation blueprint. Pragmatic planning choices are based on experiential,
and holistic understanding of the context and locally adopted novel initiatives which
reflect realization of the realities of the context. Determining the pragmaticality of a plan
is the first step. Answering these questions can determine the nature of an alternative
whether it is rational or pragmatic: to what extent does it reflect the experiential

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

understanding of the context? Whether it has been identified through a participative
process? Whether the immediate problem has been targeted or the root causes of the
problem are being addressed first and gradually proceed toward the immediate and most
prominent part of the problem? Whether the plan is Funding Agency driven or
indigenous?
Logic Model

Situation

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

FATA Introduction. Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) is located along

northwest Himalaya zone and southwest Sulaiman zone. This territory is separated from
the Pakhtun tribes of Afghanistan by the Durand Line; drawn in 1893 by the British
colonial rulers of India. Pashtun tribes live in this region. FATA is characterized by strong
tribal structure and cultural heritage, supported by rich ethnic diversity. The population
density is 117 persons per square kilometer versus national and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 166
and 238 respectively.
Culture. Pakhtoon ( Pashtoon or Pathan) Tribes are governed by a code called
Pakhtunwali or The Way of the Pathans. These are the principals and rules which govern
the society: Mashar Kashar (Respect & Honor for elders and regard for younger),
Melmastia (Hospitality), Nang (Chivalry), Trabgani (Rivalry between cousins),
Dushmani/Dusthi (Enmity & Friendship, Nanawati (To put fate at the mercy of the
enemy), Swara (getting a girl of the accused family married to the bereaved family as a
compensation for murder), Badal (Revenge), Tiga (Truce), Panah (Asylum), Thapoos
(information regarding welfare of a patient, and accused is asked to clarify his position
for a wrong-done), Badraga (escorting, Security of travel), Thoor (When a person is
blamed for a wrong-done, it is Thoor), Sharam (threat to ones grace and honour),
Peghor (Taunt), Hujra (Community club), Jirga (Council of elders), Lashkar (war-party),
Ashar (collective assistance to produce ease in the daily activities.)
Unique Administration
The region is primarily governed through Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR), 1901
and is managed by the governor of KPK province who is a nominee of the president of
the country. The region is divided into seven agencies and a Political Agent (PA) who is a

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10

senior civil servant manages the local administration. According to Articles 246 and 247
of the Constitution, neither the Parliament of Pakistan nor the Provincial Assembly of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can legislate for FATA. The President of Pakistan issues decrees in
matters related to the Tribal Areas and in this respect the Governor, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, acts as the Agent to the President. There is a prefectorial system of local
administration. Political Agent acts as Executive, Judge and Revenue Collector. For
political purpose there is Malik System. Malik is a local leader who is appointed by
government to represent his community. Since PA appoints him, his loyalty to his
community is questionable. The participation of civil community is limited or nonexistent. Corruption is rampant and due to inaccessibility monitoring of program is
almost non-existant.
Sufferings. Suffered due to Taliban and radicalization of the population. Terrorists have
destroyed schools. 360 schools were destroyed only in 2015 (Express Tribune). Due to
operation against terrorism some agencies are deserted and the population is living in
settled areas as Internally Displaced People (IDPs). According to IDMC 1.8 million
people are displaced due to insurgency, counter-insurgency and other violence-related
causes.
Socio-Economic Conditions. 60% population is living below poverty line. Per capita
income is half of the national average. Per capita public development expenditure is one
third of the national average. Natural resources of the region are underexploited. People
depend on primary level subsistence activities. Skilled labor seeks to migrate to urban
centers. Development policy of the local administration is to distribute resources on tribal
basis. Ordinary people are cut out of a spoil system that encourages cronyism in FATA.

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11

The privileged are provided with the developmental incentives while those enduring
grievances and raising voices against the suppressive system of governance are ignored
and kept underdeveloped. After 9/11 FATA came to limelight, great funds poured into
government to be spent in FATA, but lack of accountability and the flawed system of
governance doomed all such efforts. People do not know how development priorities are
decided.
Public Priorities. According to Shinwari (2012) 62.0% of the people of FATA want the
government of Pakistan to provide education to their male children, while this number is
27.3% for female children. Education is given weightage by 31.4% for international aid
priority area. Only 26.6% knows how development priorities are set. For participation
purpose 41.1% stand for citizen forums to discuss local issues. Only 5.9% say that FATA
secretariat involves them in planning process and only 2.8% believe that its projects have
long-term impact.
Assets of the Community. Pakhtunwali is an asset of the community that gives it a
structure and patterns of interaction on social and political level. The society has an
organic solidarity. After receiving the brunt of terrorism the community has realized its
problems. People yearn for education. International Aid is available at the disposal of
government to be spent on FATA, and there is good number of NGOs working in FATA in
various sectors.
Case Study of Islamia Public Schools Network
To support the community in education a local seminary initiated a project to
create schools for the community with the help of the community. The seminary just
called a meeting and shared its vision with the people. The community not only

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12

welcomed the plan but also got ready to contribute their resources into the project. The
seminary just managed the project, but the community owned the institute. The
community was a monitor and played the role of a board of governor. The seminary, after
five years, created a network of fifteen schools after launching its first school in 1995.
College student were volunteering to teach children in mosques. The seminary just
registered those schools.
Interview with Shahid Khair
Shahid Khair, Planning Officer Baluchistan, confirmed that those plans prepared
after receiving input from all stakeholders are successful as compared to those prepared
by somebody not interested in taking input from community, field officers and teachers.

Breaking the Plan into Logic Model

Inputs

Existing Schools
Deeni Madrassas
Private schools
Federal Government, Ministry of Federal Education and Federal Education
FATA Secretariat
Directorate of Education for FATA
NGOs
Community
Rs. 41,581m outlay
Activities

Enrolment of new students in existing schools (underutilized/closed schools)

A.

(93% in 2013, 92% in 2014-15, and 91% in 2015-16)

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o A careful assessment of schools with underutilized capacity as well as

nonfunctional/closed schools will have to be undertaken before allocating
new students to these institutions.
o Of the total number of 42,387 students to be enrolled
Public formal schools would enroll 67%, 64%, 62% in 2013-14,

2014-15, 2015-16 respectively

Private schools would enroll 24%, 25%, 26% in 2013-14, 2014-15,

2015-16 respectively
Deeni madrassas would enroll 2%, 3%, 3% in 2013-14, 2014-15,

2015-16 respectively
Teachers and administrators will have to be recruited; this recruitment would be
based on 30:1 student-teacher ratio and 40:1 teacher-supervisor ratio.
o 41 Madrassa teachers would be hired

B.

Enrolment of new students in formal schools through provision of missing

facilities (in 10% of existing schools)

o 3,852 formal public schools will be provided with missing facilities
No new staff would be hired

C.

Enrolment of children in new schools (7%, 8%, and 9% each year respectively)
o Total 526 new schools would be built
o Total 3,701 number of students would be enrolled into them
o 1052 teachers would be recruited
o 13 administrator would be recruited
o 835 support staff would be recruited
Targeted incentives for access and retention for disadvantaged groups and girls
(15% of all enrolments)
o 200,917 students would provided incentives (equivalent to Rs. 3000 per
year per child)
o Outputs

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Increase in enrolment:

Enrolment of new students in existing schools

Enrolment of new students in formal schools through provision of an additional

room
Enrolment of students in new schools
Retaining students, especially from disadvantaged group, especially girls

2013-14
14,661, 62%
10,198, 83%
4,463, 39%

Total
Male
Female

2014-15
15,374, 63%
10,639, 84%
4,735, 40%

2015-16
16,053, 64%
11,131, 86%
4,921, 41%

Total
46,088, 65%
31,968, 87%
14,119, 41%

Outcome

Brin

ging maximum number of primary-aged out of school children to be enrolled in

formal and non-formal schools through provision/expansion of schools,

awareness campaign etc.

Increase retention in primary grades though provision of proper teaching-learning

environment, textbook and other incentives

Improve quality of education through teachers training, community participation

etc.
Specific provision of other incentives (e.g. stipends, food for education, uniforms
etc.) to retain children from disadvantaged/rural/remote areas, especially girls

Impact

Improved state of education in FATA

Program Theory

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Program theory is the assumptions how the inputs and activities will lead to the desired
outcomes.
Problem or Issue Statement
1. Lack of access to education; and
2. Poor quality of education (mainly due to the governance issues)

Community Needs
The present education profile of FATA reflects a primary age-group (5-9 years)
population of 517,440 children, of which 266,491 are boys and 250,587 are girls. The net
enrolment rate of 60% is very low. With 81% boys and only 38% girls. Due to poverty,
poor teaching-learning conditions in schools, and the child being required to help at home
or work, drop out rates are high with almost one-third children leaving school before
completing primary education. The out of school children need to be enrolled in schools
and their retention be ensured.
Desired Results

Bringing maximum number of primary-aged out of school children to be enrolled

in formal and non-formal schools through provision/expansion of schools,

awareness campaign etc.

Increase retention in primary grades though provision of proper teaching-learning

environment, textbook and other incentives

Improve quality of education through teachers training, community participation

etc.
Specific provision of other incentives (e.g. stipends, food for education, uniforms
etc.) to retain children from disadvantaged/rural/remote areas, especially girls

Creating More Viable Plans for FATA

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Influential Factors
In FATA, for the education sector, two key issues were identified

Lack of access to education, due to

o In School Factors
Shortage of teachers
Teacher absenteeism
Lack of basic facilities
Long distance to school
o Out of School Factors
Closed schools/Shortage schools
Poverty
Cultural constraints
Political interference in education
Lack of awareness of importance of education
Poor law and order
Poor quality of education, due to
o In School Factors
Shortage of teachers/non rationalization of teaching staff
Ill trained teachers/old teachers
Non merit-based teachers appointments
Non provision of text books
Poor school environment
Corporal punishment
o Out of School Factors
No participation of community in school monitoring/supervision

Strategies
a) Enrolment of new students in existing schools
b) Enrolment of new students in formal schools through provision of missing
facilities
c) Enrolment of children in new schools
d) Targeted incentives for access and retention for disadvantaged groups and girls
Assumptions
Program outcomes can be ensured if the influential factors are controlled.

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Discussion
Resources, which are at the disposal of the plan designer and implementer, have
some inherent restraints to be utilized optimally in bringing about the desired change.
Schools are not underutilized only for some physical damage or lack of space, though
these factors too cause schools being unsuitable for use, but the real cause is deeper than
this. The available number of schools is underutilized due to distance and also due to an

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unfavorable teaching-learning environment because of a lack of teachers interest mostly

caused by the fact that Malik insist upon the ownership of the school which is deemed to
account for lowering the prestige of the teachers in the schools. The logic model of
planning has not considered this factor. The teaching staff is under-educated. Being
untrained and less paid, teachers do not have an intrinsic motivation to participate in
efforts initiated by government. Mostly teachers dodge such efforts. Therefore, results are
not as they are intended to be. The directorate of education is not only understaffed but
also untrained. Field administrators are skill-wise less equipped to implement the plan. At
the same time, since the field officers suffer from a disempowerment because of political
intervention of the Maliks, they are less committed to put their efforts into the
implementation of the plans. In fact they do not feel an ownership, because of noninvolvement in the planning process and they feel disempowered at the hands of the
Prefact (PA) and the Maliks. Since most areas of FATA are inaccessible due to insecurity
and also due to transportation, it makes it too difficult for NGOs to implement their
programs. In case of recruiting local people, the programs are not monitored which
results in spoiling of the funds meant to be spend on education. Community is not
empowered to participate in plan implementation nor it has any power or realization of
the accountability. The plan under review is incognizant of these anti-change forces. This
linear in approach where is the forces which hinder its implementation are curvilinear.
The Pakhtunwali, which gives a structure and a pattern to collective efforts in
tribal society, is ignored to have input in planning and role in its implementation. Since
the society has an organic solidarity, no efforts are needed to get the society on board
collectively. But the plan does not seem cognizant of the fact that this asset can be

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utilized to have the commitment of the community in implementing the plan. The people
of FATA want to participate in planning decisions and by doing this they want the
ownership of the plans. These are pro-change forces of the society. Owning plan renders
a surety of the commitment of the community in implementing it. The service the people
of FATA want the most the government is to give to them is the education. In fact the
people of FATA yearn for education for their children. Planners just need to amplify these
social desires into implementable plan alternatives. Every intervention to promote
education is welcomed if that is communicated will and if the people are involved in it.
The Islamia Public Schools Network initiative is a testimony to the public owned
successful projects. Shahid Khairs confirmation that plans prepared after taking input
from the bottom were more implementable and had more comprehensive and equitable
effect than previous plans prepared in a room.
Recommendations

Since the pro-change and anti-change forces are not outside of the society
therefore, they should be looked for inside the society and a plan for change
should be prepared in this perspective. The society of FATA has some intrinsic
problems which are appreciated when any intervention is initiated, therefore the
intervention is doomed to fail. Resources for change are deflected by Maliks
through conventional ways of demagoguery. Therefore, any effort to intervene
should consider this fact and the community should be empowered to keep the

deflectors away from damaging change efforts.

Inclusion of the community can give useful input in the shape of locally
implementable alternatives. As the Islamia Public Schools Network is a testimony
to this fact.

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Better communication of a centrally prepared plan can also create a sense of

ownership.

Conclusion
The FATA Action Plan has very realistic goals but since the planners are incognizant
of the local realities, the pro-change and anti-change forces inherent in the tribal
society, the plan cannot achieve its goals. Since the community does not own the plan
it will not put full efforts into the implementation of the plan. Teachers consider their
selves unprivileged and also less honored at the hands of the Maliks, they have not
intrinsic motivation to implement the plan. So is the case with the field officers. The
best way to ensure the implementability of the plan is take all the stakeholders on
board, so that they feel the ownership of the plan. Moreover, community as a whole,
and particularly teachers should be empowered to participate in the implementation of
a change plan. Besides, in order to ensure equity and implementability, the
community can come up with locally viable alternative, thats why community should
be involved in planning process.

References:
Ahsan, M. (2003). An analytical review of Pakistan's educational policies and plans.
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Debate and Finalize the National Education Policy. Islamabad: Government of

Pakistan, National Education Policy Review Team.
Shinwari, N. A. (2012). Understanding FATA 2011: Attitudes Towards Governance,
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