ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Sunday stated that, during its ongoing drive, it has identified 3,646 out-of-school children.

Speaking to Dawn, Federal Education Secretary Nadeem Mahbub said the education ministry has been receiving full support from the federal government to enrol the maximum number of out-of-school children (OOSC).

“In the ongoing drive, 3,646 OOSC have been identified. The survey is underway and next month we will enrol OOSC in schools,” he said.

He added that OOSC will be accommodated in public and non-formal schools.

These children will be accommodated in public and non-formal schools next month, says official

“I had already directed authorities to ensure accessibility for OOSC and to open new non-formal schools in hotspot areas (areas where there are a number of OOSC),” he said, adding that students from 10 universities will soon join the education ministry in its drive to identify OOSC.

University students, as volunteers, will help us in the identification of OOSC, he said.

The federal education secretary also underscored that the identification of around 4,000 OOSC is good progress so far and a vital component of a broader three-year rolling plan, which has set an initial target of enrolling 25,000 children in its first phase.

“The strategy prioritises placement within FDE-run government institutions; however, in areas lacking public schools, the ministry is prepared to utilise community schools,” read a statement issued by the education ministry.

By partnering with non-governmental organisations and the private sector, the ministry aims to ensure that no child in the capital is denied their right to education due to a lack of access or resources, the ministry said.

It said the federal capital “is witnessing a significant breakthrough in the ‘No Child Left Behind’ initiative as the Ministry of Federal Education begins to see the fruits of its Carpet Coverage campaign.”

It added that data, managed through the Non-Formal Education Management Information System (NFEMIS), highlights a nearly even gender distribution, with 1,862 boys (51 per cent) and 1,784 girls (49pc) currently categorised as “identified but not yet enrolled.”

According to the education ministry, the identification process has been a collaborative effort involving multiple organisations, with the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) leading the effort to identify 2,877 children.

Other contributors include JJT with 433 children, the National Education Foundation (NEF) with 157 and BECS with 85.

It said organisations such as Muslim Hands and Sunbeams also played a role, identifying 78 and 37 children, respectively. These figures represent the baseline for a targeted intervention to bring these children into the formal and non-formal academic folds.

It is relevant to note 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.

OOSC can be seen in various markets in Islamabad, washing cars and selling flowers and edible items at different locations. Underage girls also do cleaning work in houses.

Recently, the education ministry set a target of enrolling 25,000 OOSC in the next three months as part of a three-year campaign.

The Ministry held a signing ceremony for a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with eight civil society organisations to support out-of-school children.

The ceremony formalised collaboration under the “No Child Left Behind” campaign, aimed at ensuring universal access to education across the Islamabad Capital Territory through a coordinated union council-wise approach.

In the past, several such drives were conducted with limited success. However, this time, the ministry is keen to enrol a large number of OOSC, and time will determine the outcome of the ongoing campaign.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2026