DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Four Khyber Pakhtunkhwa departments on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work jointly on bringing out-of-school children back into the education system through a shared data platform called “One Map”.
Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi witnessed the signing between the Elementary and Secondary Education, Local Government, Health, and Social Welfare departments at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
Under the MoU, the departments agreed to develop “One Map”, a unified data system based on a province-wide door-to-door survey. The system will identify out-of-school children, map their geographic distribution, and record reasons for non-enrolment. The data will be used for enrolment, planning of facilities, and effective distribution of resources.
Those present included Local Government Minister Meena Khan, Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Arshad Ayub Khan, Health Minister Khalilur Rehman, and Social Welfare Minister Liqat Ali Khan, along with the relevant secretaries. Minister for Information Shafi Jan, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and other cabinet members also attended.
Officials briefed the chief minister that according to the 2023 census, about 4.9 million children aged 5 to 16 in KP are out of school, while the education department estimates the number at around 2.6 million. The first phase of the plan sets a target to enrol 60 per cent of these children.
The survey will also collect data on children aged 0 to 5 to help plan future school capacity and other education facilities based on ground realities and projected needs.
To provide alternative learning options, the plan proposes using double-shift schools, community schools, digital platforms, and partnerships with the private sector alongside regular government schools.
For children leaving school due to poverty, the MoU provides for scholarships, zakat and other social support. For youth aged 14 to 16, technical training will be offered under UNICEF’s “Generation Unlimited” programme to improve future economic opportunities.
To ensure monitoring, provincial and district steering committees will be established. An independent body will verify at least 5 per cent of the surveyed data for transparency. Scholarship payments will be conditional on at least 75 per cent attendance to ensure regular schooling.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Afridi said bringing out-of-school children back into the education system was among the government’s top priorities.
“Effective coordination among departments, accurate data and a workable strategy are essential,” he said. “Through the door-to-door survey and One Map system, we will not only bring current out-of-school children back, but also plan schools and other facilities more effectively in the future.”
The chief minister directed that transparency, merit and results be prioritized and that all departments work in a coordinated manner to achieve the targets.
