Revolutionary initiative taken to educate out of school children

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has taken a revolutionary step to provide education to children, ARY News reported.

The provincial government has brought four departments into collaboration to bring out-of-school children back to school.

The four departments include Elementary and Secondary Education, Local Government, Health, and Social Welfare. These departments have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the presence of KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

The provincial government has decided to conduct a comprehensive door-to-door survey to count every out-of-school child.

A detailed briefing on the project revealed that a One Map System will be established to track the exact number and locations of students. According to the latest census, as many as 4.9 million children do not attend school, whereas the education department puts the figure at 2.6 million.

The briefing stated that a target has been set to enroll 60 percent of out-of-school children immediately in the first phase, while future planning will include gathering data on five-year-olds.

To implement the project effectively, the government will utilize public schools, double shifts, community schools, and digital platforms. Additionally, students will be provided with scholarships and social assistance if they drop out due to poverty, with scholarships conditioned on a 75 percent attendance rate.

Students will also receive skills training under the UN program Generation Unlimited, the briefing added.

To oversee the project, steering committees will be set up at both the provincial and district levels.