ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi called for enrollment of around 26 million out-of-school children in country through drastic measures including education emergency, double shifts in educational institutes and utilising masjid for teaching purposes.

Addressing an event in connection with World Education Day here, he suggested mechanism to engage newly graduates and intermediate students for teaching out-of-school children offering them stipend.

Moreover, he advocated promotion of online education besides extending facilities to doctors, engineers and trained workforce in country to discourage trend of them moving abroad.

He said `alarming figure of 26 million out-of-school children was worrisome for country and exemplified other countries including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh where children's enrolment was around 98 to 100 percent.

He said educating children was of paramount importance to produce skilled and qualified workforce, not merely laborers. Lauding contribution of partner organisations, he said the country should take advantage of their services for benefit of future generations.

He told gathering that since Pakistan's inception, around 55,000 schools were built and enrolment of out-of-school children required another 50,000 schools which was extremely difficult considering education budget of provinces. In such scenario, out-of-box solutions were must to cope with challenge, he added.

Reiterating his suggestion to use masjid's platform as centre of learning, he said worship places were equipped with all basic facilities including electricity and clean drinking water. Platform can be used to teach out-of-school children in alternate timings including both boys and girls at separate masajid, he added.

President Alvi lauded Benazir Income Support Programme for its contributions to child and mother's health and suggested to link that financial assistance with enrolment of out-of-school children.

Calling for promotion of online education, he said that Allama Iqbal Open University could also be used to teach out-of-school children as University had considerably enhanced its admissions.

Education Secretary Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, Special Secretary Mohiyuddin Wani, Director General of Pakistan Institute of Education Dr Muhammad Shahid Saroya, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahsan Bakhtawari, head of Allahwala Trust Shahid Anwar and representatives of USAID, UNICEF, UNECSO and JAICA attended event.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 25 2024

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