K-P misses 1m school enrolment target

Campaign extended to May 31 amid efforts to enroll 4.9m out-of-school children

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PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Education Department is struggling to meet its enrollment targets for government schools, leading to an extension of the ongoing school admission campaign until May 31.

According to official sources, the department has fallen short of the provincial target set by the Minister for Education, which aimed to enroll one million children during the campaign.

In response, the Director of Education has issued formal instructions to all male and female District Education Officers across the province, urging them to intensify efforts to meet the revised deadline.

Officials emphasize that the extension is intended to maximize student enrollment and bring as many out-of-school children as possible into the formal education system.

It may be recalled that in April, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, chaired a high-level review meeting regarding the ongoing School Enrollment Campaign 2025.

A detailed presentation was given on the issue of out-of-school children and the strategies being implemented to bring them into the education system. The meeting was informed that approximately 4.9 million children remain out of school across the province, while 9 million are currently enrolled in educational institutions.

Special Secretary Education briefed the participants that District Education Officers (DEOs) are specifically targeting clusters with high concentrations of unenrolled children.

Emphasizing the importance of community participation, the forum was apprised that a comprehensive door-to-door enrollment drive is underway, involving schoolteachers and local influencers.

Additionally, elected representatives of local bodies, youth volunteers, community elders, and religious leaders are being mobilized to support the campaign at the grassroots level.