ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Sunday set the target of enrolling 25,000 out-of-school children (OOSC) in Islamabad in the next three months as part of its campaign.

“Ministry of Education has set a target to enroll 25,000 out-of-school children (OOSC) in Islamabad Capital Territory within the next three months as part of 3 year rolling plan to enroll all out of school children,” said a statement issued by the education ministry on Sunday.

It said to facilitate this intervention, the government also plans to establish new community schools in close proximity to hotspots where there are a sizeable number of OOSC.

Federal Secretary Education Nadeem Mahbub while speaking about the launch of the enrollment drive noted that the initiative follows the recent announcement of the “No Child Left Behind” campaign by the Federal Minister for Education Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

“Field teams from the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), Basic Education Community Schools (BECS), and National Education Foundation (NEF) have been mobilised across the capital,” he said and added that both formal and non-formal education departments are executing a ‘Carpet Coverage Plan’ at the union council level. Under this strategy, he said teams were conducting door-to-door surveys to identify out-of-school children and ensure their immediate enrollment.

Govt also plans to establish new community schools near areas where there are a sizeable number of out-of-school children, says ministry

“To bolster the campaign, the ministry has introduced several collaborative measures, University students have been engaged as volunteers to identify and assist in the enrollment of children within their own communities. International NGOs and local civil society organisations are partnering with the ministry to maximize outreach at the grassroots level. New community schools will be established to provide learning opportunities near the students’ homes, catering to their specific academic needs” read the statement.

The secretary said that progress will be reviewed on a weekly basis to ensure strict adherence to the timeline and effective implementation. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that no child is deprived of their right to education, stating that the enrollment of 25,000 children in three months is a testament to this resolve.

It is relevant to note here that Pakistan has an alarming number of 26 million OOSC and a survey in 2023 showed that there were around 89,000 OOSC in Islamabad.

Under the new campaign, the education ministry will conduct household surveys to identify “every out-of-school child” so that it can be given access to formal or non-formal education opportunities.

Officials believe that many children are forced to drop out of school to support their families economically.

They said by linking education with skills children can be brought back to classrooms as parents will see both education and long-term livelihood opportunities for their children.

In Islamabad, OOSC can be seen in various markets while doing car washing and selling flowers and eatable items at different places. Underage girls also do cleanliness work in houses. “Some sort of incentive should be given to their families for making this campaign a success,” said a schoolteacher.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026