Dosti Education:

Informal and Formal Schools

Setting up an Informal school—a one-room, multi-age classroom—is usually the first step Dosti takes to establish an educational program in a new community. This one-room classroom allows the team to help mobilize community support around the ideals of education—allowing leaders and officials to see first hand how a school might work and how the school can immediately benefit the children.

Dosti establishes formal schools with multiple classrooms if the community:

• Offers space for a school OR is willing to assist with building the new facility.
• Has 30 or more school-age children and their families have agreed to allow them to enroll.
• Can provide a teacher from the area. Dosti is committed to hiring and supporting local personnel. In fact, to build trust with community, this factor is essential for long-term success.
• Is willing to make a five-year commitment to education, to ensure sustainability and support.

Whether a formal school or informal classroom, Dosti provides the following:

• Furniture, materials, supplies
• Books/texts (sometimes paid for by government)
• Blackboards
• Teacher training, minimum of three times per year
• Teacher salaries
• Bi-monthly evaluation by Dosti monitoring staff to ensure that schools are sound and clean, that education meets Dosti standards, and that enrollment is steady or increasing.