Boosting literacy: 1,000 community girls schools to be established this year

CM Khattak says more than 50,000 girls will be enrolled in these schools.

PESHAWAR: More than 50,000 girls would be enrolled in 1,000 community-based girls schools that the government will establish in the ongoing year, said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by the government, Khattak said his administration is giving top priority to education and will be establishing community-based girls schools across the province to boost female literacy.

“The PTI government came into power with the vision to serve people and will continue to do so till it enjoys the public’s support,” the statement quoted the CM as saying.

The decision to establish these schools was taken in February. In an earlier interview with The Express Tribune, Minister for Education Atif Khan said girls do not go to schools due to various reasons, one of them being accessibility.



According to Atif, parents in rural areas do not allow their daughters to go to distant areas for schooling and because of this reason the government had decided to establish community schools in villages to make education accessible for girls.

“Under this scheme, local communities will provide land for schools while the government will arrange teachers and equip the school buildings,” the minister said.

To boost literacy

According to the statement, Khattak further said Rs100 million has been allocated for giving stipends to female students of middle schools with the aim to improve literacy levels and minimise the dropout ratio at the primary level.

Khattak said this scheme has been introduced in seven selected districts of the province which have a low enrolment ratio. Girls enrolment is expected to increase by 2% under this programme, he added. “Every effort is being made to increase female literacy.”

Referring to allowances for women education supervisors working in remote areas, Khattak said they will be given an allowance that would be 50% of their basic pay. This would be applicable for supervisors in Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Shangla and Tank districts.

“The K-P government is committed to introducing reforms in all government sectors to make them service oriented,” said the CM.

The statement further quoted Khattak as saying that recruitment mechanism in government departments had been made transparent as it was being done through the National Testing Service.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2015.