PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to launch an education card scheme in a renewed push to bring out-of-school children into the education system, officials confirmed on Monday.
During a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah in Peshawar, officials revealed that around 4.9 million children in the province remain out of school, while approximately 9 million are currently enrolled. The government has set an ambitious target to enrol one million out-of-school children by the end of this year.
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Education Card Scheme
The education card, which the government plans to roll out soon, aims to provide essential support for students and their families. The card will offer free school bags, stationery, and other incentives to reduce the financial burden on parents and encourage enrolment. Shahab Ali Shah emphasised that consistent public awareness and community participation are vital to the campaign’s success.
District Education Officers are already focusing on areas with the highest number of out-of-school children. The campaign involves door-to-door mobilisation efforts led by teachers, elders, volunteers, elected representatives, and religious scholars. Additional steps include launching community schools for girls and implementing new teacher training strategies.
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Linking Targets Performance
To ensure accountability, the Chief Secretary announced that enrolment targets would be directly linked to the performance of education officers and school heads. Parent-Teacher Councils will be revitalised to reduce dropout rates, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Department is finalising a province-wide reform strategy.
Deputy commissioners have been asked to track enrolment progress regularly, and relevant departments are working on low-cost infrastructure solutions. Shahab Ali Shah reiterated that enrolment and examination reforms are key pillars of the province’s education strategy.
Officials believe the education card scheme could serve as a critical tool in addressing the province’s education crisis and ensuring inclusive, quality schooling for all children.
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