Islamabad:
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved on Thursday the creation of six Daanish schools in Balutchistan and Azad Jammu-et-Cachemire (AJK), at the cost of RS19.253 billion, in accordance with the initiative of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide a quality education system in distant areas.
The Ministry of Planning said in a statement that these schools would be built under the 50:50 formation of costs by the federal government and the respective provincial governments. “These schools aim to raise the most marginalized segments of society by giving access to quality education,” he said.
According to the press release, the Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal chaired the meeting, assisted by the Urban Planning Secretary Awais Manzur Sumra, chief economist and members of the Planning Commission (PC) and the main representatives of the federal ministries and the provincial governments concerned.
These schools would be established in Kan Mehtarzai du Baloutchistan, costing 2,929.856 million rupees; Sibi, costing RS3,351.987 million; Baiker, Dera Bugti District, costing 2,665.733 million rupees; Musakhel, costing 3,630.771 million rupees; and Zhob, costing 3,632.405 million rupees.
The sixth Daanish schools approved would be created at the AJK, costing RS3,042.778 million. All of these projects were taken to the CDWP level, the Minister of Planning in the press release said.
The Daanish Schools Network is the largest free boarding system for boys and girls in Pakistan, in order to raise the most marginalized segments of the company by giving them access to quality education.
The Punjab government had previously established a large network of Daanish schools, but now the other provinces also take measures to reproduce this model to support talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“The establishment of these schools represents a major advance to meet the challenges that the education sector is confronted, in particular in less developed areas,” said the ministry. “The federal government also plans to establish new Daanish schools in poorly served districts,” he added.
“The initiative aims to empower young people, build stronger communities and create a more inclusive and equitable society. These schools go beyond traditional heart learning and promote 21st century education models by integrating technology to improve delivery and follow the progress of students.”
Speaking at the CDWP meeting, the Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal said that more than 25 million children in Pakistan were currently outside the school, which was a question of serious national concern. He stressed that the increase in the 90% literacy rate was essential to the development of the country.
