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PESHAWAR, Jul 31 (APP): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Govt here Thursday launched “ILMpact” Programme to enroll out-of-school children and Improve education quality.
“ILMpact” was launched in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The programme is being implemented through the British Council and was officially launched by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur at a ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s House Peshawar.
The launch ceremony was attended by Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, British Council Country Director James Hampson, officials from the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, and representatives of partner organizations.
The ILMpact programme aims to benefit 80,000 out-of-school children across eight districts namely Battagram, Mansehra, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Khyber, Mohmand, and Dera Ismail Khan. Under this initiative, comprehensive efforts will be made to enroll out-of-school children and to improve the standard of education in these selected districts.
As part of the programme, master trainers will be prepared to deliver modern training to teachers, and capacity-building initiatives will be undertaken for Parent-Teacher Councils and School Management Committees in government schools.
The programme places particular emphasis on the education of girls, underprivileged and special children and those from minority communities.
Additionally, awareness campaigns will be launched to promote education, especially girls’ education in the selected districts.
Addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur expressed his gratitude to all partner organizations for making the ILMpact programme a reality.
“Our government’s mission is not just to provide education but to ensure the provision of quality education. From the outset, we have prioritized the provision of missing facilities in schools. For the current year, we have set a target that no child in a government school should be without a chair or desk, and funds have already been allocated to achieve this.”
He further said that the programme is a vital step in the broader set of reforms being introduced to modernize the province’s education system. “Only an enlightened nation can stand on its own feet, and awareness comes through education. Our government is paying special attention to girls’ education, as only an educated mother can raise an educated nation,” he remarked.
Highlighting his government’s commitment to education, the Chief Minister noted that an education emergency has been declared in the province, with a substantial increase in the budget for elementary and secondary education. “This year, 21 percent of the total provincial budget has been earmarked for elementary and secondary education,” he said.
The Chief Minister further revealed that during the last one year, 1.3 million out-of-school children have been enrolled in schools, and a target has been set to enroll an additional one million children during the current academic year.
“Plans are also underway to provide free textbooks, stationery, and school bags to students in government schools. In parallel, attention is being given to improving the quality of education through teacher training, and the recruitment of 18,000 new teachers on merit is currently in progress”, he added.