Pehli Kiran School No 7

For many families in Islamabad Capital Territory, particularly those residing in informal settlements or facing economic hardship, access to quality primary education for their children can be a significant challenge. In this context, Pehli Kiran School No 7 in H-11/4 stands as a remarkable and vital institution. It is not just a school in the traditional sense; it is a "first ray of light" for children who are often out of school, especially those from marginalized communities. Part of the larger Pehli Kiran Schools system, an initiative of the Jamshed Akhtar Qureshi Education Trust, this primary school is dedicated to providing free, non-formal education to the most deserving children of Islamabad's unserved katchi abadis (urban slums).

Pehli Kiran School No 7 began its operations in 2004 with a modest 60 students and has since grown significantly, serving approximately 230 students, with girls constituting a remarkable 55% of the student body. This is particularly noteworthy given that many of these families originate from culturally conservative regions where girls' education faces significant barriers. The school's philosophy goes beyond academics, embracing a "whole child" approach that includes basic hygiene, nutrition, counseling, and self-care alongside a strong Montessori-based curriculum. For local residents in Islamabad, especially those in the informal settlements, Pehli Kiran School No 7 represents a beacon of hope, offering their children a chance at education, growth, and a brighter future that they might otherwise be denied. It’s a testament to social change in action, transforming lives one child at a time.

Pehli Kiran School No 7 is situated at M23C+CMG, H-11/4 H-11, Islamabad, Pakistan. This address places the school within Sector H-11, an area in Islamabad that, while developing, is strategically important. The "M23C+CMG" is a Plus Code, indicating a precise geographical location, which is particularly useful for areas that may not have traditional street numbering, often characteristic of informal settlements or communities that Pehli Kiran Schools serve.

The very nature of Pehli Kiran Schools is to bring education to the communities that need it most, often in mobile or adaptable structures within "katchi abadis." This means the school's accessibility is designed around the needs of its target population. For the residents of the informal squatter settlement in H-11/4, the school is essentially "the school that comes to you and stays with you," minimizing or eliminating the need for long commutes that would otherwise be a significant barrier to education. This localized placement ensures maximum accessibility for children who might lack access to formal transport or whose families face challenges in sending them to distant schools. While public transport might connect to the broader H-11 sector, the school's precise location within the informal community makes it directly walkable and easily reachable for the children it serves, embodying its unique model of community-integrated education.

Pehli Kiran School No 7, as part of the innovative Pehli Kiran Schools system, offers a comprehensive range of services designed to provide quality primary education and holistic development to underprivileged children. These services go beyond typical academic instruction, addressing the unique needs of its student population:

• Montessori-Based Primary Education: Provides education from PlayGroup up to Grade 8, beginning with a strong Montessori foundation. This ensures a child-friendly, activity-based learning approach that encourages engagement and understanding.
• Core Academic Curriculum: Delivers essential subjects to build literacy, numeracy, and basic knowledge, with a proven track record of student success, including a 90% average pass rate for Grade 5 students taking the national test.
• Free Education: All education and related services are provided free of cost, removing financial barriers for families from the lowest-income brackets.
• Provision of Books and School Supplies: Students receive necessary textbooks, notebooks, and other school supplies, ensuring they have the tools required for learning without any burden on their families.
• Uniforms: Provides school uniforms to all students, fostering a sense of belonging and uniformity, and easing the financial strain on parents.
• Nutrition Supplements: Offers nutrition supplements to students, recognizing the importance of physical health for cognitive development, especially for children who may be in dire circumstances.
• Co-curricular Activities: A wide array of co-curricular activities are offered to supplement the educational experience, bringing fun into the children's lives and aiding in their holistic learning and growth.
• Health and Hygiene Promotion: Actively promotes hygiene within the community, including providing access to water, electricity, and gas at the school (where these utilities might be absent in the informal settlement), to foster better health practices.
• Counseling and Self-Care: Integrates counseling and self-care into the curriculum, acknowledging the emotional and psychological needs of children from challenging backgrounds.
• Pathway to Mainstream Education: Actively supports and facilitates students' transition to further education in mainstream schools after completing their primary education, with 65 students from PKS-7 successfully pursuing this path in recent years.
• Community Mobilization: Engages with parents and the community to encourage school enrollment, particularly for girls, overcoming social barriers to education.

Pehli Kiran School No 7 in H-11/4 Islamabad stands out with several unique features and highlights that underscore its profound impact on the local community:

• Targeted Outreach to Unserved Communities: A defining highlight is its specific focus on children from the lowest-income, unserved, and marginalized katchi abadis (urban slums) of Islamabad. It literally "takes the school to the community" to ensure access and retention for children who would otherwise remain out of school.
• Mobile Infrastructure: The school operates with a unique "mobile infrastructure" that allows it to move with the community when they are evicted by local authorities, embodying "the school that stays with you" model and preventing dropouts due to displacement.
• Holistic Child Development ("Whole Child" Approach): Beyond academics, PKS-7 focuses on the entire child. This includes providing basic hygiene, nutrition supplements, counseling, and self-care alongside mainstream Montessori instruction, fostering physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development.
• Strong Montessori Foundation: Classes from PlayGroup to Grade 8 begin with a robust Montessori base, promoting an engaging, child-friendly learning environment that embraces diverse learning styles.
• Exceptional Girls' Enrollment and Empowerment: Despite serving a conservative community where girls' education was traditionally prohibited (with origins from Dir, KPK), 55% of the student body are girls. This is a remarkable achievement, showcasing significant social change and female empowerment. The fact that PKS-7's current Principal is a former PKS student further exemplifies this success.
• High Academic Performance: Students demonstrate strong academic outcomes, with Grade 5 students achieving a 90% average pass rate on national tests, showcasing the effectiveness of their educational model.
• Successful Transition to Mainstream Schools: The school provides a vital bridge to formal education, with a proven track record of students successfully pursuing further education in mainstream schools, highlighting its role as a pathway to upward mobility.
• Community Development Initiatives: Beyond education, PKS-7 provides essential utilities like water, electricity, and gas to the informal settlement where it operates, promoting hygiene and improving living conditions for the entire community.
• Addressing Social Change: The school has been instrumental in changing mindsets within conservative communities, mobilizing parents to send their girls to school, which is a powerful indicator of its societal impact.

As a non-profit, community-focused educational initiative, Pehli Kiran School No 7 does not offer "promotions" or "special offers" in the commercial sense. Instead, its entire operational model is a profound "offer" to the underprivileged communities it serves in Islamabad. The core benefits it provides are designed to eliminate barriers to education and support the holistic development of children who would otherwise have limited opportunities.

The key "offers" and inherent advantages for families enrolling their children at Pehli Kiran School No 7 include:

• Completely Free Education: The most significant "offer" is that the school provides all education without any fees, making it accessible to the lowest-income segments of society. This removes a major financial burden from families.
• Free Educational Resources: Students receive free books, school supplies, and uniforms, ensuring they have all the necessary tools for learning without any cost to their parents.
• Nutritional Support: The provision of nutrition supplements directly addresses a critical need for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, supporting their physical health and ability to learn.
• Holistic Development Programs: The "whole child" approach, encompassing hygiene, counseling, and co-curricular activities, is an invaluable "offer" that goes beyond academics, fostering well-rounded individuals.
• Accessibility by Design: The school's unique model of being mobile and situated within the katchi abadi communities means education is brought directly to the children, overcoming geographical and logistical barriers.
• Empowerment Through Education: For girls, in particular, the school offers a transformative opportunity to receive an education that challenges societal norms and opens doors to future independence and success.
• Pathway to Mainstream Integration: The proven success of its students in transitioning to formal schools demonstrates a clear pathway for continued education, offering a brighter future beyond primary schooling.

Pehli Kiran Schools rely on individual philanthropy and crowdfunding to sustain these initiatives. Therefore, their "promotions" are centered around their mission and impact, rather than commercial incentives for enrollment. Interested individuals in Islamabad can learn more about supporting their mission by visiting their central head office or website (details likely found via the Jamshed Akhtar Qureshi Education Trust).

For inquiries related to Pehli Kiran School No 7 or the broader Pehli Kiran Schools system, including information on enrollment, programs, or ways to support their mission, residents of Islamabad Capital Territory can utilize the following contact details. Please note that while the school itself is at M23C+CMG, H-11/4, general inquiries and contact for the system are often handled through their central office:

Pehli Kiran School No 7 Address: M23C+CMG, H-11/4 H-11, Islamabad, Pakistan

Pehli Kiran Schools, Central Head Office:

Address: House # 182, Street 12, E-11/4, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan

Telephone Number: +92 300 855 4110

Email Address: info@pkschools.org

For specific inquiries about Pehli Kiran School No 7, it is advisable to visit the H-11/4 location directly if possible, or contact the central head office for guidance. The central office can provide comprehensive details about the school's operations, admission cycles, and how its unique model serves the community. This ensures that local families have clear avenues for information and support.

For the thousands of families in Islamabad Capital Territory residing in marginalized or informal settlements, Pehli Kiran School No 7 in H-11/4 offers an unparalleled and profoundly suitable educational opportunity. Its suitability for locals is deeply embedded in its unique model and unwavering commitment to serving the most vulnerable children. Unlike conventional schools, Pehli Kiran School No 7 literally brings education to the doorstep of communities, often operating with mobile infrastructure that adapts to the transient nature of some settlements. This means that geographical and logistical barriers, which frequently prevent children from accessing education, are effectively eliminated.

The most compelling reason for its suitability is the provision of completely free and holistic primary education. This includes not just academic instruction (from PlayGroup to Grade 8, with a strong Montessori base) but also essential support like free books, uniforms, and crucial nutrition supplements. This comprehensive approach ensures that children are not only learning but are also physically and emotionally supported, addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by families in dire circumstances. The school's remarkable success in educating girls, even from highly conservative backgrounds, demonstrates its ability to foster social change and empower young women, which is a critical step towards overall community upliftment in Islamabad.

Furthermore, the proven track record of students successfully transitioning to mainstream schools highlights that Pehli Kiran School No 7 is not just a temporary solution but a vital bridge to a brighter future and continued academic growth. For any local family in Islamabad seeking a nurturing, accessible, and high-quality primary education that truly understands and addresses the unique needs of underprivileged children, Pehli Kiran School No 7 stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity, embodying the transformative power of education within their own community.

Pehli Kiran School No 7

M23C+CMG, H 11/4 H-11, Islamabad, Pakistan