Government earmarks Rs25 billion for out of school children

 

Government earmarks Rs25 billion for out of school children

The government of Pakistan has introduced a Rs25 billion 'Out of School Children Fund' to ensure quality education for all children of school-going age.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, inaugurated the National Challenge Fund to address the crisis of Out of School Children (OOSC). 

Speaking at the fund's launch event, Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the significance of the Out of School Children Fund, considering it a vital strategic step to enhance enrollment and diminish dropout rates. He revealed that a substantial portion of the funds would be allocated to Early Childhood Education (ECE), recognizing its pivotal role as the foundation of the entire education system. 

He encouraged Pakistan to intensify its efforts to match regional counterparts in expanding access to quality education, emphasizing the importance of political stability and consistent policies for sustainable national development. The launch of the Out of School Children Fund underscores the government's unwavering commitment to providing every child in Pakistan with quality education and a promising future. He remarked, "By addressing OOSC through evidence-based approaches, innovative solutions, and collaborative efforts, Pakistan takes a significant stride towards building a more educated, prosperous nation." He urged the provinces to complement the fund allocation by earmarking Rs 25 billion from their budgets.

Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary of the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, highlighted the notable increase in education funding for the current year. He assured that the federal government's endeavors in this domain would receive full support from his ministry, alongside assistance to provincial and Area education departments to ensure the success of this crucial initiative.

During the event, Rafiullah Kakar, Member (Social Sector & Devolution), emphasized the critical challenge of ensuring quality education. He noted that enrolling OOSC in schools is just the initial step, while the real issue lies in retaining these children due to inadequate learning environments. 

Addressing the supply-side drivers of the OOSC crisis is the foremost priority under this project, Kakar further highlighted that the project involves providing performance-based grants to provincial governments. This result-based financing aims to enhance efficiency, effectiveness of public expenditure, and encourage innovation in fiscal federalism. 

He stressed the urgent need to enhance the teaching-learning environment to establish a conducive setting for comprehensive child development. The colossal commitment of Rs25 billion in the Out of School Fund has been allocated as a performance-based fund for provincial education departments. These departments will formulate plans with specific indicators, and funding will be allocated based on the successful attainment of these indicators.