Round Table At Islamkot

Round Table Meeting in the collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) Resource Person: Topic Venue Date Time Report by:

Mr. Zaheer udin Manager HRD Dr. Ashok Bakhtani Manager SM Roundtable Meeting Field Unit Islamkot October 03, 2006 1000 – 1200 hrs Jalal Jani PO- HRD

Introduction In collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) Thardeep–Human Resource Development organized one day Roundtable Meeting with elected members from 04 union councils of Tharparkar on October 03, 2006 at Field Unit Islamkot. This was the final phase of Local Government Project in the 1st one HRD organized Orientation workshop for elected councilors from selected Union Councils. In the round table meeting are 16 members participated mainly they represented 02 Nazim/Naib NazimUCs, 01 N. Nazim of Nagarparkar taluka and 13 union councilors from 04 UCs. The Islamkot, Kehri, Satidera, and Nagarparkar Union Councils participated in the meeting. Mainly this meeting was organized to review the post orientation utilization & measure the progress in identified issues, all those members who participated in the orientation workshop and public forum on education they participated in the Roundtable meeting. This meeting was chaired by the Mr. Nabi Bux Balouch – Member- Board of Director – Thardeep. The roundtable meeting started with the recitation of verses from Holy Quer`an by a participant of Satidera Union council . Discussion and review of achievements Zaheer udin Manager the participants. After than he shared the contents of roundtable meeting which covers whether the he shared that today we will be focusing on main three questions did the orientation meeting really added value in our knowledge, did the open forum provided a forum for discussion & resolving the issue jointly if it is so than where we are now, the third one if we are planning to carry out such activities in future too than what are your plans who will do what?. addresses the issues which was raised in the public forum and any change as the result of the forum. What action was taken by authorities to address the issue which was raised at the public forum? Dr. Ashok Bakhtani Manager asked the question that it’s continues the process of questioning from Uc Nazim to district Nazim for quality education especially girls education in District Tharparkar. The participants responded that the orientation workshop was very useful and fruitful to us and we learnt more new things from the role play and different exercises in the orientation workshop and public open forum. This really enhanced our confidence & provided an opportunity to meet & raise our voices jointly. Mr. Ghansham Das said this type of training and workshop are the nursery for elected members, we update and aware about the upcoming things, our elected members were

Round Table Meeting in the collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) not able to negotiate with District Officer but now they direct talk and share their problems with Zila Nazim and Chief Minister of Sindh. After public forum a lot of changes in education department are being seen, which are positive to us, we discussed with line department and District Nazim for ensuring the regular and punctual of teachers in schools. We also support the poor children who are acquiring the education with very difficultly in kind of financial, the elected members raised this issue and shared with Zila Nazim and line department, It was good occasion that Director of Baitulmal was in Mithi, we gave the presentation and motivated towards food support programme for poor children in Tharparkar District through the recommendation of UC Nazim. High authority was agreed upon our collectively suggestion and programme was initiated of food support programme in entire district Tharparkar. The poor parents have more financial benefits from this programme. We all ensure that poor people will take benefit, our elected members facilitated them

Mr. Ratan Lal Naib Nazim Kehri, said that we were not aware in line with routine business and active participation in decision making at Ucs to talukas councils and district assembly level. Now our elected councilors take more interest in discussion and collectively decision now they don’t sit & just silently listening in the UC ajlas. He also shared that District Officers are not cooperating us in line with teachers, in our village only one teacher is there & he is responsible for more than 50 children. He can not afford to teach eight subjects to the children. We put up this issue in UC meeting and documents proceedings and circulate to higher education authority it may we address this issue in Taluka Council and District Assembly. Pertab Rai Uc Councilor told that we have identified the burning issues in open forum at Islamkot and we have planned for address this issue with collectively efforts. One man can not address the issue, Therefore, we all sit, share and strategic plan for our collectively action, every top authority would have to listen our voices and views. Otherwise, things are very nice but result will not be fruitful. It is good forum for sharing and exchanges the different things with the vital efforts of Thardeep. He also criticized on the School Management Committees and manipulation of the SMC funds with kinships. It is observed that no check and balance at school or village level. We are networking with different UC elected members and line department through open forum. This type of workshops would be continues for our awareness, orientation and update us regarding the new situation and information. He said “I learnt more new techniques for negotiation and

Round Table Meeting in the collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) discussion in UC meeting, today I am talking it is the result of orientation workshop”

Manjhi as a participant rose an issue of enrollment are high but teaching staff is only one; s/he can not afford to teach the children of all subject. So Education Department would revisit and reshuffle the teaching staff. Mr.Khetsingh as a participant shared that we have also participated in different training and workshops but orientation workshop was very useful and productive for us. Zaheer udin Manager HRD shared that Thardeep`s role is bridging the gape and catalyst between service provider and community. There are issues but with meager facilities in education department of Tharparkar. Can we formulate/make a forum that it works on education at grassroots level? The all participants agreed unanimously on this forum and actively participated in the discussion. however, Mr. Ghansham Das Nazim UC Islamkot suggested that committee will comprise on five members and representatives only four to five surrounding villages. – 01 member from Thardeep, 01 notable from 04-05 villages, 01 UC Nazim/ Naib Nazim and 04 elected UC Councilors from in lieu of representing area. This committee will organize such type of workshops and forums for networking and liaising at grassroots and advocacy for quality of education and monitoring and ensuring the regularity and punctuality of teaching personnel at rural side. Ratan Lal N.Nazim Kehri UC suggested this type of forum would make from Deh to District. At every decision point, these forum will representing, if we all take collectively action we will achieve our goal and quality of education would be improved we will compare our education standard with private competitive teaching institute.

Round Table Meeting in the collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Mr. Ghansham Das revealed that Thardeep will facilitate us in inviting to Nazim and Naib Nazim for participation the meeting and strategic planning for future course correction. This committees will organize sub committees in UC for improve the quality of education. Mr. Nabi Bux Balouch said that already committees are there at UC structure but those are de active, our elected member will ensure that to re organize and enable those and monitor their discretionary and facilitate the people at grassroots. He said that we will achieve our goal, we will make more sub committees for monitoring and checking the schools and ensuring the regularity and punctuality, otherwise we will demolish and devastate from the surface of earth. Dr. Ashok Bakhatani thanked all participants those participated the roundtable meeting, I hope, your collectively actions will change the paradigm shift in our society.

Meeting was ended with vote of thanks and new hope for doing betterment and quality education at grassroots level.

Abbreviation/Local terms NDI LGP TRDP HRD UC Ajlas Zila

National Democratic Institute Local Government Programme Thardeep Rural Development Program Human Resource Development Union Council Meeting District

Round Table Meeting in the collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Thardeep – Human Resource Development (HRD) Round Table Meeting

Sno

Held on From October 03-2006 to October 03, 2006 at Field Unit IslamkotTharparkar District Name Design Village UC District

1

Mr.Liaquat Ali

G. Councilor

Resham Jo Tar

Satidera

Tharparkar

2

Mr.Bhongar

G Councilor

Tankario

Satidera

Tharparkar

3

Mr.Chando

Councilor

Kharoro Dal

Satidera

Tharparkar

4

Mr.Maghan LAl

N. Nazim -Taluka

Purnwah

Nagarparkar

Tharparkar

5

Mr.Pertab Rai

Councilor

Islamkot

Islamkot

Tharparkar

6

Mr.Manjhi

Councilor

Kh.Bajeer

Islamkot

Tharparkar

7

Mr.Ratan Lal

N.Nazim

Tisingeri

Kehri

Tharparkar

8

Mr.Khetsingh

Councilor

Islamkot

Islamkot

Tharparkar

9

Mr.Chetan lal

Councilor

Lakar Khadio

Nagarparkar

Tharparkar

10

Mr.M.Amin

Councilor

Dah

Nagarparkar

Tharparkar

11

Mr.Shivo

Councilor

M. Jo Wandhio

Nagarparkar

Tharparkar

12

Ms. Surhai

Councilor

Kh.Rahim Ali

Islamkot

Tharparkar

13

Mr.Verji

Councilor

Keekari

Islamkot

Tharparkar

14

Mr.Ghansham Das

Nazim

Islamkot

Islamkot

Tharparkar

15

Mr.Jarar

Nazim

Okhraro

Satidera

Tharparkar

16

Mr.Asghar Ali

Sec.

Panpario

Satidera

Tharparkar