Starting with a one-class, one-teacher school comprised of 25 students in 1994, Read Foundation, currently, runs a network of 330 institutions of which 142 are of Primary level, 137 Elementary level, 46 High schools and 5 Intermediate colleges. Until today, Read Foundation has been able to house 42 of its schools into their own purpose-built buildings, while 26 others are under construction.

The remaining schools are being operated in rental buildings. We usually acquire land for construction through the sponsorships of local community. It is however very rare to obtain land in the form of donation. If this situation arises, the Foundation arranges for monetary donations to purchase the land for a new school on a priority basis. A donor can donate either for the land and the construction of building, or only for the procurement of land or both. The cost of land depends on location and specifications. Read is also trying to fully equip the schools with their libraries. Orphan students in these schools are enjoying free education along with all allied educational needs that includes books, stationery, school bags, uniform and shoes etc. Construction of a school building serves as Sadaqa-e-Jariya (everlasting philanthropy). Donors may dedicate a building to their loved ones who have passed away.

Apart from permanent school buildings, Read Foundation currently undertakes the execution of 23 prefabricated semi-permanent school building projects in earthquake hit areas of AJK. Total number of classrooms being installed is 178. This would provide a safe learning space for over 4,000 earthquake-afflicted children.

Please ask for project proposal for donation of School Building(s). Following is the specification of a standard building for Read Foundation Schools.

Total covered area of standard school building normally is 5,500 sq.ft.

RATIONALE FOR CURRENCY-BASED VARIATION

The educational cost of each orphan varies based on age, build, gender, schooling level, and institution type, quality of education, tuition fee rate and the nature of allied provisions as well as the overall economic condition of the country. The lowest average cost of a male student of class/grade III amounts to PKR 9000 while the cost of a girl student at higher secondary boarding school level reaches PKR36’000. The paying capacity of average Pakistanis, in relation to per capita income, is so low that they cannot be expected to meet the actual cost of each orphan student. There are many individual donors who are extremely keen to participate in our educational program but the affordability aspect forces them to pay rupees 250 to 600 per month. Read Foundation, therefore, created a pool of funds, including zakat (obligatory charity on Muslims if they earn more than a certain amount) and sadaqat (voluntary charity), for addressing the overall educational needs of all orphan students. Through exhaustive consultations, precedents and parallel practices, the sponsorship amounts for other countries were fixed. The most basic package that Read Foundation provides to orphan students includes: uniform (summer and winter clothing); shoes, socks, school bags, stationery, text books and tuition fee that varies school to school and class to class. Almost all such students are day scholars and they live either with their mothers or relatives (guardians) save the girls students studying in high and higher secondary schools with boarding and lodging facilities. Read Foundation provides all required educational supplies and pays tuition fee to respective schools from the day one as soon as an orphan enrolls in a respective school, whereas, it takes a while to get them sponsored by individual or corporate sponsors. The pooling of funds enables the organization to cater their needs prior to securing sponsorships.