Minister says 4.9 million children are out-of-school in the province
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Provincial Minister for Education Faisal Khan Tarakai on Monday said that tackling the alarming figure of 4.9 million out-of-school children is the top priority of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, with a comprehensive plan underway to ensure their enrollment and access to quality education.
He expressed these views while addressing a held to mark International Literacy Day by the Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation (ESEF).
Provincial minister for education pledged decisive action to enroll at least 50 percent of the children in schools by next year, through a combination of digital transformation, non-formal education initiatives, and targeted admission campaigns.
Secretary Education Muhammad Khalid, and representatives from JICA, UNICEF, World Bank, NCHD, Dosti, and other partner institutions were also present in the event, said a handout.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Faisal Khan Tarakai emphasized that education is the backbone of national development. He announced a major push to bring 50 percent of the province’s 4.9 million out-of-school children into schools by next year, stating that improving literacy and ensuring quality education remain top priorities.
The minister underlined the importance of digital literacy, promising full digitization of the teaching and learning process across the province. He paid special tribute to teachers, especially those serving in the merged districts, who continued their mission despite years of conflict. He praised their dedication and credited them with sustaining educational activities under challenging conditions.
The minister noted that recruitment of 17,000 teachers was underway, based entirely on merit. In the non-formal education sector, more than 17,000 educational centers under ESEF were educating approximately 400,000 students, while the formal education system encompasses 54,500 schools and over 6 million students.
The minister shared that the e-transfer policy has been reinstated, and e-summaries and e-notifications were being rolled out across merged districts. Digital literacy programs, he added, will soon be expanded to the remaining districts, he said and added that Rs 8 billion was being spent annually to provide free textbooks to all students in the province, with 35 million books being printed.
He also revealed plans to issue “education cards” that will provide students with free books, scholarships, stipends, and additional facilities.
The minister announced that the Education Department would reward high-performing schools and teachers, while underperforming institutions will be questioned. A second admission campaign will launch in mid-September to further reduce the number of out-of-school children.
Managing Director ESEF, Qaiser Alam, highlighted the foundation’s initiatives to improve literacy and ensure quality education. He said that 400 Alternative Learning Pathway (ALP) centers are operational, and the new “Quality Assurance and Assessment Cell” is helping enhance teacher performance.
Alam added that the launch of the “Digital Solution Hub” and “Program Management Portal” has improved transparency and efficiency. A pilot Tele-Education School project will also launch on September 10.
