KP Government Launches Plan to Bring Out-of-School Children Back to Classrooms
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started work on a plan aimed at enrolling children who are currently out of school and expanding access to education across the province.
Officials from the education, local government, health and social welfare departments signed a memorandum of understanding as part of the initiative. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi was also present at the ceremony.
According to a briefing, a comprehensive survey will be conducted to identify out-of-school children across the province. Authorities plan to establish a “One Map” system to determine the number and locations of children who are not attending school.
The briefing cited 2023 census data showing that around 4.9 million children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are out of school, while figures from the provincial education department put the number at approximately 2.6 million.
Under the first phase of the initiative, the government has set a target of enrolling 60% of out-of-school children.
Officials said data on children below the age of five would also be collected to support future education planning. The programme will utilise government and community schools, double-shift arrangements and digital learning platforms to expand educational opportunities.
Children who have dropped out because of poverty will be offered support through scholarships, Zakat and other assistance programmes.
Scholarship payments will reportedly be linked to a minimum attendance rate of 75%.
The initiative will also provide technical and vocational training to children through the United Nations-backed Generation Unlimited programme.
To improve transparency and ensure the reliability of the survey, an independent organisation will verify 5% of the collected data, according to the briefing.
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