RAWALPINDI: To bring back out-of-school children, the Punjab government is mulling a stipend programme under which students will be paid monthly.

A senior officer at the School Education Department Lahore said during the first three months, students will be paid Rs200 each and later the amount will be raised to Rs600 per month.

He said the Punjab government in collaboration with Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will pay students.

“We have signed MoU with BISP in this regard and in the first phase, the scheme will be launched in eight districts,” he said.

Executive District officer (EDO) Education Rawalpindi Qazi Zahoor confirmed this development.

“Yes, the Punjab government has decided to offer Rs200 per month to out of school children. During the first three months, we will pay Rs200 but after three months these students will be paid Rs600 monthly,” he said, adding that Secretary School has convened a meeting of EDOs of eight selected districts on Thursday at his office to finalise this scheme.

It is relevant to note here that currently 25 million children are out of school across the country.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2014