MINGORA/TIMERGARA: The campaign for 100 per cent enrolment in schools was launched with an awareness walk here on Thursday.

The campaign was jointly organised by the district education department, Alif Ailan and Rural Support Programme Network. A large number of students, teachers, parents, officials of education department, district administration, local organisations and civil society members attended the walk that concluded at Wadudia High School in Saidu Sharif.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Atifur Rehman said that it was responsibility of everyone in the society to ensure enrolment of every child in school. “Education is basic need of every child and it is our duty to identify out-of-school children and enrol them,” he said.

Dr Hafiz Mohammad Ibrahim, the district education officer, said that education department would take every walk of life on board to increase enrolment in Swat.

Minister inaugurates campaign in Lower Dir

“We will urge ulema to convince parents to send their children to schools,” he said. He said that parent-teacher councils in all schools would be activated to increase enrolment.

Akhtar Ali, a representative of Alif Ailan project, said that his team was actively working in collaboration with district administration and education department for increasing enrolment.

The officials, at the end, enrolled some children on the spot by filling and signing their admission forms.

In Lower Dir, a function was held at Centennial Model High School Timergara to kick off the enrolment drive. Provincial Minister for Finance Muzzafar Said was chief guest on the occasion.

The function was organised by education department in collaboration with Centre of Excellence for Rural Development (CERD), a nongovernmental organisation. Teachers, students and their parents attended the function.

Deputy Commissioner Irfanullah Wazir, DEO Prof Mohammad Uzair Ali, DDEO Mohammad Riaz, tehsil nazim Riaz Mohammad, district nazim Mohammad Rasool Khan, naib nazim Abdul Rashid and others spoke on the occasion.

The minister formally launched the drive by admitting poor students to the state-run primary school in Timergara.

He asked parents and teachers to take active part in the campaign for enrolment of out-of-school children.

He said that government had provided Rs580 million to schools in Lower Dir for basic facilities.

He said that Rs3 million was being spent in the school through parent-teacher councils.

Other speakers said that education was vital for development. They urged young generation to focus on science and research.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2016