Zewar-e-Taleem programme shows 18% rise in enrollment, calls made for restoration in Punjab

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): AwazCDS-Pakistan held an orientation session with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) Punjab at Four Points by Sheraton Lahore to present evaluation findings of the Zewar-e-Taleem Programme (ZTP) and discuss steps to improve girls’ secondary education in Punjab.

Twelve members of the Caucus attended the session.

Chief Executive of AwazCDS-Pakistan, Zia ur Rehman said the evaluation confirmed the programme’s role in improving girls’ secondary education outcomes in Punjab, said a press release issued here on Saturday.

According to the findings, schools under the Zewar-e-Taleem Programme recorded 18 percent higher enrollment, 17 percent better transition from Grade 5 to Grade 6, and 41 percent higher female attendance compared to non-ZTP schools.

He said the programme also improved learning, confidence, and completion outcomes among girls. The evaluation showed an 8-point increase in literacy readiness, an 18-point rise in confidence to complete education, and a 10-point increase in secondary school completion. The findings also showed stronger trust in public schools among students and families.

Rehman further said the programme contributed to long-term empowerment of girls. The evaluation estimated an increase of Rs. 58,000 in annual income among beneficiaries, a delay of 1.74 years in the age of marriage, and a 35-point rise in preference for service-sector jobs.

He expressed concern that the programme had reportedly remained suspended in communities since June 2025, leaving eligible girls without financial support. He called for the immediate restoration of the programme and release of all pending stipend payments to beneficiaries.

Members of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus Punjab also expressed concern after learning about the suspension of the programme. They said they were previously unaware that implementation had stopped in communities. The members stated that the provincial government remains committed to improving school education, especially for girls, and assured support in raising these issues on the floor of the House.

AwazCDS-Pakistan also urged the government to increase the monthly Zewar-e-Taleem stipend from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000, saying inflation had reduced the value of the stipend since the programme began.

The organisation further called for expansion of the programme beyond the current 17 districts. It recommended extending ZTP to underserved and nearby non-ZTP areas where female literacy rates remain low.

The session ended with agreement on several steps, including support for the immediate restoration of the programme, payment of pending stipends, revision of the stipend amount according to inflation, expansion of the programme to more districts, and continued cooperation to support girls’ right to secondary education in Punjab.