PESHAWAR/SWABI: UNDP’s Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas Programme (RAHA) has started enrolling street children in government schools in parts of the provincial metropolis and managed to enrol some 95 children during the past week.

This was disclosed by RAHA’s provincial programme manager Ms Shukriya Syed while speaking at a ceremony held at government girls’ primary school in Jogani union council here on Friday. She said the drive had been initiated in collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa education department.

PTI MNA Sajid Nawaz, additional secretary education Qaiser Alam, ADO male and female Daudzai circle, community leaders, schoolteachers, students, parents and elders were also in attendance.

School children presented tableau, national songs and anthem on the occasion.

Speaking at the function, Ms Syed said the enrolment drive was launched in Jogani union council as the area was comparatively backward. Of the enrolled children, she said 60 were boys and 35 were girls who were enrolled in different primary schools in the union council.

MNA Sajid Nawaz said the provincial government had initiated a special drive to enrol 27 million out of school children in the province.

The government, he claimed was ensuring transparency in recruitment of teachers and that was why the process had been assigned to National Testing Service.

He said that the promotion of quality education was prerequisite for economic and social development and creation of a vibrant society.

Earlier, Ms Syed highlighted the basic objectives of the EU-funded programme aimed at promotion of primary level education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Later, the students also held an awareness walk for promotion of education.

Meanwhile, speakers at a function in Swabi on Friday said that development and progress in all other sectors was linked to imparting quality education to students.

The function regarding enrolment drive was held at government high school, Swabi by National Commission for Human Development (NCHD).

Lawmakers, education officers, journalists and parents were in attendance.

The participants called on the parents to enrol their children in schools as they were the future of Pakistan.

MNA Aqibullah Khan said keeping in mind the importance of education Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government was filling all the vacant posts of teachers in public sector schools.

Taqvim-ul-Haq, district deputy education officer, said the required facilities would be provided to all educational institutions in the district.

“New classrooms would be constructed and provision of furniture ensured,” he added.

Sherin Zada Khudakhel, principal of the school, said the enrolment campaign should be pursued with full vigour to achieve the desired results.