The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a major launch drive to bring out-of-school children into classrooms across the province. The initiative aims to improve access to education and strengthen the public schooling system.
Officials said the launch drive will be carried out under a coordinated plan involving multiple government departments. These departments will work together on data collection, planning, and support for low-income families.
A high-level meeting was held at the Chief Secretary’s Office to review the plan. It was jointly chaired by Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Arshad Ayub Khan and Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah.
Representatives from the education, social welfare, health, and local government departments also attended the meeting. Officials from UNICEF were also present during the briefing.
Authorities said the launch drive will begin with a province-wide survey system. The survey will collect detailed data at the village council level. This will help identify children who are not attending school.
Children aged five to sixteen will be included in the survey. Officials will also assess the future education needs of younger children under five years old.
Data will also be collected from public and private schools, religious seminaries, and non-formal education centres. Special education institutions will also be included in the process.
According to the 2023 census, nearly 4.9 million children in the province are currently out of school. However, officials believe the new survey will provide more accurate figures.
The launch drive is expected to help improve planning and budgeting for education. Authorities said better data will allow targeted resource allocation in different areas.
The Health and Local Government departments will support the launch drive by assisting with field data collection. Their local networks will help reach remote communities.
Officials also confirmed that the Social Welfare Department will support poor families. The aim is to ensure financial issues do not stop children from attending school.
Education officials said the current system can accommodate 25 percent more students immediately. This capacity will support early results of the launch drive.
A 100-day action plan has also been prepared. It aims to enrol around 60 percent of out-of-school children in the first phase.
The remaining children will be covered in later stages. This will require new schools, expanded infrastructure, and further planning.
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Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah praised the strategy and directed departments to sign coordination agreements quickly. He also ordered that the plan be sent to the provincial cabinet for approval.
