K-P launches drive to educate 80,000

Express Tribune

5 days ago

In a bold move to transform the province's education landscape, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government today launched its new 'ILMpact' initiative. Developed in partnership with the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented through the British Council, the programme is designed to enroll 80,000 out-of-school children across eight districts and uplift the overall standard of education.
The launch event, held at the Chief Minister's House, was attended by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, British Council Country Director James Hampson, and senior officials from the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, along with representatives from various partner organizations.
Enrolling thousands, reaching the underprivileged
Spanning the districts of Battagram, Mansehra, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Khyber, Mohmand, and Dera Ismail Khan, ILMpact seeks to address the long-standing challenge of high numbers of out-of-school children in the province. Master trainers are set to spearhead the modernisation of teacher training, while capacity-building efforts will extend to Parent-Teacher Councils and School Management Committees in government schools.
A central tenet of the programme is its focus on vulnerable groups, girls, underprivileged and special-needs children, and those from minority communities. An accompanying campaign will raise awareness, particularly regarding the importance of girls' education, a cause that Chief Minister Gandapur passionately underscored.
A commitment to quality education
At the ceremony, Chief Minister Gandapur reaffirmed his administration's pledge to not only widen access to education but also to enhance its quality. "Our government's mission is not just to provide education but to ensure the provision of quality education. From the outset, we have prioritised providing missing facilities in schools," he said.
Gandapur added that the government has set an ambitious target for the current year: every child in a government school will have access to a chair and desk, with funds already allocated to meet this goal.
The chief minister also linked the ILMpact programme to broader education reforms in the province. "Only an enlightened nation can stand on its own feet, and awareness comes through education. Our focus on girls' education ensures that only an educated mother can raise an educated nation," he remarked.
In what officials described as an "education emergency," the provincial government has earmarked 21 per cent of its total budget for elementary and secondary education this year.