Secondary education cash programme approved

Published April 4, 2021
The first-of-its-kind initiative will come into effect in all districts in July. — White Star/File
The first-of-its-kind initiative will come into effect in all districts in July. — White Star/File

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar has approved the Ehsaas Secondary Education Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme for deserving households to send their children to schools.

The first-of-its-kind initiative, which was discussed during a meeting held at the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division on Saturday, will come into effect in all districts in July.

There are 18.7 million children in the age group of six to 16 years who remain out of school in the country and the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to further accentuate the situation.

The government under its social welfare programme Ehsaas has prepared a strategy to provide children of underprivileged households conditional cash grant of Rs3,000 per quarter for the girl child and Rs2,500 for the boy child on the fulfilment of 70 per cent attendance in school. All payments will be biometrically made to mothers of children.

The new secondary education CCT has been structured along the lines of Ehsaas stipends policy that allocates higher amount for girls as compared to boys. This policy decision is an extension of Ehsaas primary education CCT, Waseela-i-Taleem Digital, expanding it to the secondary level.

The programme will be implemented in close coordination with provincial education departments to avoid double dipping and duplications.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.