LAHORE: The Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda), in collaboration with UNICEF and the Literacy Department Punjab, has formally launched its non-formal education initiative at Ganje Sidwah, one of the 91 villages falling within the Ruda jurisdiction.
The initiative includes establishment of 22 non-formal schools in collaboration with the literacy department to improve educational access in rural and peri-urban communities.
According to a spokesperson for the authority, the Ruda Executive Director Mr Naveed Riaz and Director General of Literacy Ms Imrana Touqeer jointly inaugurated the initiative.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Riaz highlighted its alignment with the Punjab Government’s Literacy and Non-Formal Education Policy 2025 and the Chief Minister Punjab’s vision of achieving zero out-of-school children. He appreciated Ruda’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) Department for translating human development objectives into practical community-level interventions.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms Fatima Ali Khan, Ruda CSR Director, highlighted the importance of community engagement and educational interventions in improving the Human Development Index. She explained that Ruda is addressing educational gaps through non-formal schools, temporary learning centers and vocational education. She also shared details of the enrolment awareness campaign, under which information boards and banners were installed outside schools to encourage parents to enrol their children.
Mr Kamran Lon, representing UNICEF, briefed participants on the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP), emphasising its role in providing flexible learning opportunities to children who have missed formal schooling.
Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2026
