Enrolment drive targets 25k children

Community schools planned in high-need areas; teams to identify out-of-school kids

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training has set a target to enrol 25,000 out-of-school children (OOSC) in the Islamabad Capital Territory within the next three months, as part of a three-year rolling plan to bring all out-of-school children into the education system.

To support this initiative, the government plans to establish new community schools in areas with high concentrations of out-of-school children. Federal Secretary for Education, Nadeem Mahbub, stated that the campaign follows the recent launch of the "No Child Left Behind" initiative by Federal Minister for Education, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

Field teams from the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), Basic Education Community Schools (BECS), and National Education Foundation (NEF) have been mobilised across the capital.

Both formal and non-formal education departments are implementing a 'Carpet Coverage Plan' at the Union Council level, conducting door-to-door surveys to identify out-of-school children and ensure their immediate enrolment.

To strengthen the campaign, university students have been engaged as volunteers to support enrolment within their own communities. International NGOs and local civil society organisations are also partnering with the Ministry to extend outreach at the grassroots level. New community schools will provide learning opportunities near students' homes, tailored to their specific academic needs.

Mahbub emphasised that progress will be reviewed weekly to ensure strict adherence to the timeline and effective implementation.