ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: The government is spending around Rs3.6 billion on the provision of educational as well as nutritional facilities to girl child under the Tawana Pakistan Programme (TPP).

The TPP is being run in about 650 schools in the poverty- stricken areas and aims at providing about 0.5 million girls with access to education in about 5,300 primary schools in rural areas.

However, the provision of supplies had been completed in 2,300 primary schools/communities, an official of ministry said while talking to this agency. The project is being implemented in 29 district through the Baitul Maal and non-governmental organizations, using public- private participation model.

Over 500,000 girls of the 5-12 age group in about 5,300 government primary schools will benefit from the programme. The official said about 5,000 community organizers- one for each school- were being trained by the Aga Khan University.

The aim of the project is to improve the nutritional/health status of the schoolgirls but it would also increase enrolment and sustain attendance to reduce the drop-out rate.

A meal a day is provided, de-worming medicines are administered to the children biannually and micro-nutrient given to girls twice a week. The committees set up in the selected districts oversee the implementation of the nutrition programme.

A sum of Rs500 million has already been transferred to the local governments through the Baitul Maal for onward transfer to the school Tawana committees. -APP