Punjab Education Foundation

Teaching in Clusters by Subject Specialists (TICSS)

AIM

Launched in 2006, the aim of the program is service provision of qualified subject specialists to low cost, private secondary schools situated in rural and less affluent urban areas of the Punjab

WHAT IS TICSS?

The program working is based on a tri-pronged relationship with the following as agents:

• Punjab Education Foundation (TICSS)
• Subject Specialists of TICSS
• TICSS Partner Schools

Each district has a team of 5 SS, one for each of the following subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
•  Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology

The TI’C’SS Concept

A cluster would comprise of two schools; each SS, who is appointed to a cluster, would be attending    one school thrice a week. Besides increasing the outreach of the program, it allows establishment of a relationship between private sector schools on the basis of which schools can cooperate in terms of resource sharing.

Subject Specialist – A Mentor

As a mentor and agent of change, the SS is responsible for:

• Syllabus coverage of the relevant subject for classes 8- 10
• Design and implementation of a school improvement plan
• Capacity building of peer teachers
• Monthly assessment of students
• Organization of extra-curricular activities

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO BECOME A TICSS PARTNER SCHOOL

• Affiliation with BISE
• Average monthly tuition fee of less than Rs. 800
• Student Enrollment from classes 8 to 10 should not be less than 60
• No partnership with any other PEF program
  

PROGRAM OUTREACH

At present, TICSS is operational in the following 24 districts of the Punjab:

1	Lahore	2	Layyah
3	Rahim Yar Khan	4	Jhelum
5	Rawalpindi	6	Sialkot
7	Gujranwala	8	Faisalabad
9	Multan	10	Bahawalpur
11	Okara	12	Attock
13	Dera Ghazi Khan	14	Hafizabad
15	Kasur	16	Khanewal
17	Mandi Bahaddin	18	Nankana Sahib
19	Okara	20	Pakpattan
21	Sargodha	22	Sheikhupura
23	Toba Tek Singh	24	Vehari

ASSURING QUALITY

To assure quality in the working of the program, the following methods are adopted:

• Annual Quality Assurance Test
• Annual Performance Evaluation by Panel comprising of scholars and PEF senior management
• Field Monitoring of Subject Specialists

ACADEMIC YEAR 2010-2011: HIGHLIGHTS

• 93 Subject Specialists, 186 partner schools, Approx 12,000 students
• Pakistan Educational Leadership Institute Certificate: Selection of Ms. Rehana Qaiser, SS English in District Rawalpindi, as a member of Pakistan Delegation. A month long conference, it was held in Plymouth State University, New Hampshire. PELI Post Visit Report
• Planning and organization of Master Action Plan(MAP) titled "Re-Purposing by Re-Using Waste Products"
• American Delegation of the same visited Shining Public School, Rawalpindi; a cluster school of Ms. Qaiser, Shining Public School was selected on the basis of MAP developed by her.
• Ms. Arshia Khursheed, SS English in District Bahawalpur, has been awarded the first position at 2011 LADIESFUND MISHAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 
• Capacity Building of Subject Specialists:
• A five –day workshop titled ‘English for Teaching: Teaching for English (ETTE)’ was organized in collaboration with the British Council in May 2010. In total, 25 English SS of which 21 were from TICSS, attended the workshop
• British Council report to be linked with first sub-point (A five –day workshop titled ‘English for Teaching: Teaching for English (ETTE)’) of the fifth bullet under the heading ‘academic year 2010-2011: highlights’
• Six SS attended a two-day workshop titled “Introduction to Formative Assessment and Assessing Process Skills”  organized by ITA
• Eight SS attended a five day workshop titled “Educational Testing and Evaluation” organized by PEF-ADU