ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will launch the Ehsaas Education Stipends programme on Wednesday for deserving families so that they could send their children for primary, secondary and higher secondary education.

The programme will be rolled out nationwide across all districts. The programme has been structured along the lines of Ehsaas’ Stipend policy that incentivises higher stipend amount for girls as compared to boys, says a press release.

It said that under the Ehsaas Education Stipends, primary school boys will get quarterly stipends of Rs1,500 and girls Rs2,000, secondary school boys will get Rs2,500 and girls Rs3,000 and at higher secondary level, boys will get Rs3,500 and girls Rs 4,000 a quarter.

All education stipends will be paid biometrically to mothers on attainment of 70pc attendance of their children.

According to Dr Sania Nishtar’s official statement, “Ehsaas is committed to lifting the poorest families in Pakistan out of poverty and help them achieve their potential by serving the unserved area of secondary and higher secondary education. Also, part of ‘Post-Covid-Ehsaas Strategy’, Ehsaas Education Stipends will empower the deserving families to overcome financial barriers in accessing higher education.

“Safeguarding, that girls are not underrepresented in higher education, the Ehsaas Education Stipends is fully skewed towards girls, offering higher stipend amounts for them.” The press release said that poverty is one of the most persistent barriers to acquiring education.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2021