Khyber Pakhtunkhwa initiates extensive school enrollment push, aiming for 1.3 million enrollments.

The provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formally initiated a comprehensive school enrollment campaign designed to enhance admissions, decrease dropout rates, and integrate out-of-school children into the educational system.

The campaign was launched by Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education, Arshad Ayub Khan, on Friday, in the presence of Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahab Ali Shah.

The objective is to enroll 1,328,620 children for the school year 2026–27, comprising 684,363 boys and 644,259 girls.

Through the effort, more than 600,000 youngsters who are currently out of school will be reintegrated into the educational system, including 261,435 boys and 382,280 girls.

The provincial administration intends to decrease the primary-level dropout rate from 7 percent to 5 percent and the secondary-level dropout rate from 8 percent to 6 percent.

Sixty-five percent of overall enrollments will occur in public schools, thirty percent in private schools, and five percent through the Accelerated Learning Program and non-formal education initiatives. A digital dashboard has been created to track the campaign’s progress.

“All children must have access to high-quality education, with particular emphasis on girls’ education,” stated Arshad Ayub Khan. Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah underscored that Deputy Commissioners at the district level will oversee the campaign, with public engagement being crucial for attaining its objectives.

A review meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, was conducted before to the launch, attended by officials from the Education Department, Local Government, and UNICEF.

Khalid Khan, Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education, addressed the meeting and announced a specialized survey to gather data on youngsters not enrolled in school.