The Establishment of Azad School Utmanzai and Anjuman-i-Islahul Afaghina: A Successful Methodology of Organizational Excellence (1921-1946)

This historical paper explores the role of one of the indigenous educational movement of the British Indian North West Frontier Province, now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The movement 'Anjuman-i-islahul Afaghina' established in 1921 by Abdul Ghaffar Khan also known as Bacha Khan (1890- 1988) and his companions to educate the unprivileged Pakhtuns in the early decades of the 20th century. The Anjuman established 104 Azad schools in the settled as well as tribal territory to educate the nation in formal way, besides education and training was imparted through non formal mode, as well. The strength of the Anjuman was its organizational excellence in the shape of its components like propagation, fund raising, management committees, faculty of intellectuals, co-curricular activities, annual jamborees, conflict resolution committees, literary activities and social reformation. No doubt, the movement contributed to educate the unprivileged Pakhtun nation in ensuring the quantity as well quality of education.