SWABI, Nov 6: Zakat-based scholarships for studying in technical institutions have been bestowed upon 700 students, including 50 girls, by the district education department, officials said on Thursday.

Sources said a ceremony in this regard would be held on Sunday at the Polytechnic College, adding that the chief guest on the occasion would be the provincial minister for Zakat or the provincial education minister.

They said that Rs8.9 million have already been allocated in this regard.

Officials, including district Zakat committee chairman Nawab Ali Khan Yousafzai, sources said, had been working on the project for the past six months, adding that they had held meetings with the staff of polytechnic colleges/technical schools for constitution of a result-oriented policy and imparting of quality education to the students.

Of the total number of the selected candidates, sources said, 400 would study in the Government Polytechnic College Panjpir, 200 in the Anbar Technical School while the 50 girls would study at the District Headquarters Technical School.