Institute of Social and Policy Sciences

The Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (سائنسی ادارہ برائے علومِ معاشرت و امورِ دانش) is a policy research and advocacy think tank with its headquarters located in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Institute also has offices in Lodhran and Mardan, Pakistan.

Institute of Social and Policy Sciences
MottoInforming Policies, Reforming Practices
Formation2008
TypeThink Tank
HeadquartersIslamabad, Pakistan
Executive Director
Salman Humayun
Websitehttp://www.i-saps.org

History

The Institute was founded in 2008 and is governed by its board of directors. The Institute works in the fields of education, health, disaster risk reduction, governance, conflict and stabilization. Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) emerged from Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan; a consumer rights advocate organization.

Since its inception, I-SAPS has undertaken initiatives to improve access and quality of education and ensuring children's right to free and compulsory education in Pakistan.[1][2] In this relation, I-SAPS started reporting education budgets in Pakistan in 2007-08.[3] Each year, the Institute publishes its report on the state of education financing which analyzes the trends in education spending in Pakistan at Federal, provincial and district levels.[4][5][6][7] The latest report in the series analyzed education budgets in Pakistan for a period of 2010-11 to 2015-16. I-SAPS has also facilitated the creation of Pakistan's National Caucus on Education with an aim to synergize the political and technical sides of education reforms in the country.[8]

Initiatives
Adult Female Literacy Class in progress

In 2015, the Institute started working on adult literacy and has teamed up with Mobilink Foundation and GuarantCo for empowering the rural women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan by providing them literacy skills.[9] The initiative is being implemented in eight districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Buner, Malakand, Haripur, Mansehra and Kohat.[10][11]

For the last many years, the Institute has been advocating for compensation of civilian victims of conflict[12] and terrorism.[13] I-SAPS has also promoted the need of an effective disaster risk management framework in Pakistan[14] and has raised the issue of compensation of flood-affected communities on various forums.[15] Since 2017, I-SAPS is implementing the "Sustainable Transition and Retention in Delivering Education (STRIDE)" program to address the transition and retention challenge for students at post-primary levels. STRIDE is being implemented in collaboration with the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in districts Bahawalpur, Kohat, Muzaffargarh and Swabi.[16]

In 2011, I-SAPS launched the Journal of Social and Policy Sciences, a double-blind peer-review research journal.[17][18] The Journal publishes multi-disciplinary policy-oriented research especially media and society, trade policy and tax reforms, post-colonial societal changes, education and health sector policies and reforms focusing mainly on Pakistan and South Asia.[19]

References
  1. "Government urged to improve primary education in Pakistan". Dawn. 1 April 2012.
  2. "Education policy: Free, universal education needs clearer definition". The Express Tribune. 30 March 2012.
  3. "KP continues to increase spending on education". The Daily Times. 15 July 2016.
  4. "Pakistan's education spending lowest in South Asia". Dawn. 28 April 2016.
  5. "No improvement witnessed in utilisation of education budgets". The News International. 28 April 2016.
  6. "Balochistan stands apart in education budget slashing spree". The Nation. 28 April 2016.
  7. "Slow progress: Overall budget up but development allocation down - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 27 April 2016.
  8. "Lawmakers in Pakistan form education caucus". The Express Tribune. 5 June 2015.
  9. "Innovative tool: Women educated through mobiles". The Express Tribune. 9 January 2016.
  10. "بې تعلیمه میرمنې د ټیلفوني پیغامونو د لاری هم زدکړی کولی شي (I-SAPS Adult Female Literacy Programme coverage by Mashaal Radio (Pashto))". Mashaal Radio. 23 June 2016.
  11. "SMS-based adult literacy enables learners to read, write". The Daily Times. 30 May 2016.
  12. "Compensation for Conflict Victims". Dawn. 5 September 2013.
  13. "Wounds of Conflict". Pakistan Today. 28 February 2012.
  14. "Effective Disaster Risk Management Framework in Pakistan". Dawn. 21 June 2011.
  15. "Compensation of Flood Affected Communities". ActionAid.
  16. "STRIDE Launched in KP". The Express Tribune. 12 October 2017.
  17. "Launch of Journal of Social and Policy Sciences". Dawn. 27 April 2011.
  18. "News Coverage of Launch of Journal of Social and Policy Sciences". The News International. 1 May 2011.
  19. "Journal of Social and Policy Sciences".
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