ISLAMABAD, June 28: Federal Minister for Education Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi said on Wednesday that more than 13 million children in Pakistan did not go to schools.

“It is a very sorry state. Besides the above figure, as many as 19 million children enrol every year. Nearly, 45 per cent drop out before reaching primary class. And another 30 per cent drop out before they reach middle class,” the minister said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the first graduation ceremony of the 5th grade students of Zindagi Trust, a local NGO, working to eliminate the menace of child labour by providing education and health care to the underprivileged children.

For years education had been a neglected subject, he said, successive governments had ignored the lower level education system, especially in the rural areas, he said.

“We had the schools but their conditions were so pathetic that they could not retain children. Although provincial governments are working to change that but we still need to put in more funds because we have along way to go.”

The minister appreciated the courage of the students for choosing education to become productive citizens. He assured government’s support to help them progress.

Gen Qazi said that the government was committed to eliminating the menace of illiteracy from the country. He said the government was mobilising resources to spread quality education in every nook and corner of the country for the prosperity and development of the whole nation.

Earlier, students of the trust performed a stage drama highlighting their enthusiasm to pursue their studies which was followed by a national song.

Awards were also distributed among graduating students by the first Muslim girl crowned Miss England, Hammasa Kohistani, and president of the trust and pop singer Shehzad Roy.

Ms Kohistani said on this occasion that education was the most important thing in her successes in life. “Zindagi Trust has given these beautiful and talented children their life back,” she said.

The graduation ceremony ended with Shehzad Roy, taking to the stage and singing a couple of his hit songs and promising to fight child labour and providing education to the underprivileged children.