Private schools enroll over 4,000 out-of-school children under CSR in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, Jun 14 (APP):The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, through the collective efforts of partner organizations, has referred more than 4,000 Out-of-School Children (OOSC) to private schools across Islamabad under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives as part of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ Campaign.

This significant achievement was highlighted during a progress review meeting chaired by Chairman PEIRA, Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, with DG-NCHD Ali Asghar and representatives of JICA, including Bilal Aziz, at PEIRA Headquarters.

Senior officials of PEIRA also attended the meeting, said a press release.

DG-NCHD briefed the meeting that a comprehensive household survey covering nearly 80,000 households in rural Union Councils of Islamabad identified more than 24,000 children aged 5–16 years who were out of school.

These children have been referred to the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and PEIRA for enrollment in the nearest accessible educational institutions.

PEIRA has engaged more than 100 private schools, which have demonstrated exemplary commitment by enrolling over 4,000 children free of cost.

Chairman PEIRA, Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, appreciated the private school sector for embracing this initiative as a national mission rather than a regulatory obligation, emphasizing that their cooperation reflects a strong commitment to social responsibility and educational equity.

Dr. Mallah stated that PEIRA is committed to ensuring that the maximum possible number of out-of-school children are accommodated in private educational institutions through collaborative efforts with school owners and management.

He noted that private schools have responded positively and are playing a vital role in supporting the Government’s educational emergency initiative.

Chairman PEIRA also commended the contributions of campaign partners, including NCHD, BECS, NEF, FDE, PIE, JICA, and INGOs, for complementing the Ministry’s efforts to achieve universal access to education.

He further directed PEIRA teams to facilitate the enrollment process, monitor retention, and support schools in ensuring that newly enrolled children remain in the education system.

The meeting agreed that enrolled children would also receive free textbooks, stationery, and other learning materials to support their continued learning.

Transparency and monitoring of the campaign are being ensured through the National Formal and Non-Formal Education Management Information System (NFEMIS), managed by PIE with technical support from JICA.

The meeting concluded with a collective commitment to achieve the target of enrolling 25,000 out-of-school children in Islamabad by the end of June 2026, reinforcing the shared vision that no child should be left behind.