Background and Introduction

A stipend is a specific amount of money allocated to girl students from Class VI – X in all government schools to enable them to continue their education. 

The School Education and Literacy Department is distributing Girls’ Stipend in all public schools since 2006. 

Objectives

• It relieves parents from financial burden of educating their children.

• Provides an incentive for girls to remain in school.

• To decrease the drop-out ratio of girls while promoting from class V to VI and from X to XI

• To increase the transition rate of girl students in the schools

Modes Of Payment

Initially it was distributed through Pakistan Post via Money Orders, but money orders reached late to the girls. So the School Education and Literacy Department which is continuously working to improve the delivery system of girls stipends for better, transparent and timely distribution, shifted towards branchless banking (different firms like in AY 2013-14 to AY 14-15 Telenor and in AY 2015-16 to AY 2017-18 Jazz)

In this regard, various methods were worked out to ensure transparency:

1. SMS 

2. Biometric

3. ATM cards

4. Pin Mailers 

Amount to be distributed

Amount of stipend was distributed under two policies, decided by World Bank as a result of a survey in the schools in 2006.

1. Differential Stipend Policy (DSP)

Under this policy Rs.3500/- are distributed in 45 Talukas ( List given below)

2. Standard Policy:  

Under this policy Rs.2500/- are distributed in remaining Talukas

Such policy is revised this year and now the amount has been made equal for all beneficiaries as Rs.3500/-

Year-wise Distribution of Stipend 

Following is the status of year wise disbursement from 2013-14 up to current academic year

#    Academic Year Beneficiaries

1 2013-14 344,744 

2 2014-15 294,308 

3 2015-16 280,000 (In process)

4 2016-17 278,000 (In process)

Procedure Of Girls Stipend Distribution:

Following is the step by step procedure for Girls’ Stipend Distribution:

1. Collection of data of girl students from the schools via SAP forms through our district LSU team.

2. Data entry/cleaning of collected Data (In Current Year we have initiated another innovative method of OCR/ICR scanning method)

3. Hiring of Firm (any branchless banking firm) through EOI process

4. Disbursement on CNIC of parent/Guardian of beneficiary

5. Complain Management

Complaint Management System:

Complains are received through following three channels:

1. Through our dedicated district LSU team (Main channel)

2. Complainer register the complain in Head Office directly/in person

3. Through ILMI

From above cases complains are received to the GS Section on daily basis, which are then compiled and a joint list is formulated twice a week, and after, correction are being sent to Head office of the service providing firm for reversal and re disbursement, which takes max 3-4 days commonly.

Once the complains are resolved, a SMS is sent to the beneficiary as well as complains have been sorted out district wise and shared with the respective channels they were received like LSUs via email, directly to the beneficiary via a call or posted on ILMI. 

Nature of Complains:

Following complains are usually received:

1. Correction in CNIC digits

2. CNIC is expired

3. Thumb impression not matched

4. Father/Guardian is died

5. Father/Guardian is out of City/Country

6. SMS not received