KP Government Striving To Empower Female Through Education, 70% Of New Schools Prioritized For Girls

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2025) Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) and Chairman Standing Committee of KP Assembly on Elementary Education, Taj Muhammad Tarand has said that provincial government is striving to empower female through education and has prioritized 70 percent of new schools for girls.

Addressing a Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on "Education budget implementation and Challenges", Taj Muhammad Tarand said majority of the newly constructed Primary schools are for girls which reflects preference of provincial government on improving female literacy rate in the province.

The Multi-stakeholder Dialogue was organized by Blue Veins in collaboration with Pakistan Education Champion Network.

The dialogue held discussion on education budget implementation, challenges and recommendations for effectively utilizing funds and resources for girls' secondary education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

MPA Taj Muhammad Tarand said for achieving Sustainable Development Goals we have to take measures on need based approach wherein girls education is on the top.

He apprised participants that provincial government has issued directives for priority based reconstruction of schools damaged due to terrorist attacks or natural disasters.

The KP government, he continued, has also allowed a substantial amount of Rs. 1.5 billion on starting WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) activities in schools.

Similarly, funds have been issued to PTC for arranging missing facilities in schools in their respective areas.

Tarand said KP government has allocated an amount of Rs. 320 billion for Education sector which constitutes about 21 percent of the total budget of the province.

Similarly, he added, the Elementary Department has utilized 89 percent of its annual budget of Rs. 23.8 billion in the current fiscal year.

Earlier, Muhammad Ejaz Khalil, Advisor to Elementary Education in his presentation disclosed that around 1300 girl schools are damaged in KP due to terrorism and natural calamities.

Out of these 1300 schools, 200 are included in Annual Development Plan (ADP) of the upcoming budget for reconstruction.

He informed participants that the devastating floods of 2022 had damaged 380 schools in the province.

To protect educational institutions from impacts of climate induced disasters, the KP government has chalked out a comprehensive policy.

For overcoming shortage of 15000 schools, Education department is focusing on promoting the concept of Non-Formal Education through which students can get education on private schools or in rented buildings.

For improving girl’s education, free transport facility is also introduced on pilot project basis in nine districts while monthly stipend for girls studying in grade 6 to 9 is increased from Rs. 500 to 1000.

In some areas double shifts have been started in government schools to overcome school shortage and for providing education facility to students at their door steps.

In his welcome address, Qamar Naseem, Programme Manager Blue Veins appreciated the measures taken by KP government for reduction dropout of students, especially girls.

He said in a recent campaign, a target of bringing back around one million out of schools children were set and about 650,000 were enrolled.

Similarly, he continued, 17000 new teachers were appointed to overcome shortage in the province.

He said free education is a constitutional right of every children for which KP government has also made legislation and there is a need of making this law effective.

Qamar Naseem also laid stress on provision of functional toilet in schools and colleges, especially of girls, because one of major reason behind drop out of lack of this facility.