Sindh targets 50% cut in out-of-school children by 2030

The Sindh government has agreed to develop a five-year, multi-sectoral roadmap aimed at bringing out-of-school children into the education system, with a target of enrolling 50% of them by 2030.

The decision was taken at a meeting jointly chaired by Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah and Provincial Minister for Irrigation, Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro. Senior officials, including Planning and Development Chairman Najam Shah, School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Parliamentary Secretary Saadia Javed, and representatives of UNICEF, were also in attendance.

Participants were informed that the high number of out-of-school children remains a major hurdle to the province's socio-economic progress, underscoring the need for a coordinated and comprehensive strategy. The proposed roadmap seeks to address structural barriers such as poverty, child labour and limited access to education, while also focusing on improving gender parity.

Speaking during the meeting, Education Minister Shah said tackling illiteracy and economic challenges requires prioritising children's education, adding that the reasons behind school dropouts must be understood to devise effective interventions. He stressed that promoting girls' education would remain a key pillar of the plan.

Minister Shoro stressed that meaningful progress could only be achieved through an integrated, interdepartmental approach, with collaboration across sectors including education, health, social protection, local government and finance.

The meeting agreed to assign the Planning and Development Department a central coordination role, supported by the establishment of a dedicated delivery unit and a digital dashboard to enable real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making.