Punjab expands literacy drive, 700,000 children enrolled

A special ceremony was organised by the Punjab Literacy Department to mark International Literacy Day, bringing together lawmakers,

LAHORE: The Punjab Literacy Department has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding literacy initiatives and bringing more out-of-school children into the education system as Pakistan observes International Literacy Day.

A special ceremony was organised by the Punjab Literacy Department to mark International Literacy Day, bringing together lawmakers, education officials and representatives of international development organisations.

MPA and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Literacy Maria Talal, Parliamentary Secretary for Literacy Chaudhry Naveed Ashraf, and representatives of UNICEF and JICA attended the event. Speakers highlighted the importance of literacy and praised the department’s efforts to provide educational opportunities to children who remain outside the formal schooling system.

They also recognised teachers and students who had demonstrated outstanding performance, encouraging them to continue contributing to efforts aimed at improving literacy across the province.

Speakers said the Punjab government was utilising available resources and implementing practical measures to promote education and address the challenge of out-of-school children. They described the inclusion of children who have been unable to attend formal schools as one of the province’s major educational challenges.

Literacy Secretary Syed Haider Iqbal said several new programmes and initiatives had been introduced under the Punjab government’s vision to improve literacy and expand access to education.

According to the secretary, more than 21,000 non-formal schools are currently operating across Punjab, providing educational opportunities to nearly 700,000 children who are unable to attend conventional schools for various reasons.

The department, he said, was working to make its programmes more effective in addressing illiteracy and ensuring that children outside the formal education system receive opportunities to learn.

The ceremony concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen literacy programmes, expand their reach and intensify efforts to increase Punjab’s literacy rate while bringing a greater number of out-of-school children into the educational mainstream.