Nearly 5 million children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are out of schools despite hectic efforts by the government. The provincial education department revealed recently in a report that more than 3.67 million children in settled areas and 1.61 million in the erstwhile FATA have not yet been enrolled. According to documents, more than 2.29 million girls and 1.38 million boys are out of schools in the settled area, while more than 360,000 boys and 645,000 girls in the former FATA. The department listed poverty, unemployment and lack of awareness as the main reasons for the children’s staying away from schools. The education department report mentioned the secretary as saying that steps are being taken to bring out-of-school children to institutions. A campaign is being launched to persuade parents to admit their children to schools.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)