ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday launched a mobile school project with focus on early childhood and pre-school education.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, PM Sharif said the project would help the government in its effort to enhance literacy rate, particularly in the rural areas.

In the first phase, the mobile schools, consisting of eight buses, will provide primary-level education to the children of Islamabad and adjoining areas.

The prime minister said the project would be expanded to other parts of the country and AJK as well. The project is being executed by Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).

Officials of the FDE told Dawn that under the project, two buses would cover four locations each of Tarnol and Nilore sectors on alternate days with six days a week working schedule.

The project would be gradually scaled up for catering to out-of-school children and will mainstream them in nearby educational institutions working under the FDE.

Consisting of eight buses, initiative will help govt’s efforts to enhance literacy rate

They said the initiative was a step to improve children’s well-being and reduce the horizontal educational inequality and vertical difference at the foundational or primary years of learning.

They said the project was initiated with the objectives of holistic child development (social, emotional, cognitive and physical) with inclusion and equity, non-discrimination through provision of state of the art digital classroom, creating passion for formal education and learning and developing foundational literacy skills.

Instructional guides have been prepared for teachers based on National Curriculum of Pakistan for Early Childhood Care and Education. The project’s buses are fully equipped with human resource (two Montessori teachers, two sports teachers, two assistant teachers and drivers and conductors), physical resources (customised furniture, temperature control with back-up solar system and standby generator, extendable tent for physical activities, wash facility, fire safety emergency exits and teaching learning material (smart board, library, learning material,worksheets, books, games and art material).

The officials said Pakistan was signatory to Education 2030 Agenda which was adopted in the Incheon Declaration in 2015 at the World Education Forum (WEF 2015) held in South Korea.

The Incheon Declaration constitutes the commitment of the education community to Education 2030 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, recognising the important role of education as a primary driver of development.

SDG target 4.2 is directly linked with the provision of quality access to early childhood care and education or pre-primary education regardless of gender or area.

They said early childhood education helps children develop their potential and promotes their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. Young children, especially the poorest and most disadvantaged who benefit from early childhood education are more likely to be healthy, ready to learn and stay longer and perform better in school, they said.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2023