The federal capital is witnessing a significant breakthrough in the “No Child Left Behind” initiative as the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training begins to see the fruits of its “Carpet Coverage” campaign.
Following several days of rigorous field operations across various Union Councils in Islamabad, authorities have successfully identified 3,646 out-of-school children, said a press release issued here Sunday.
This data, managed through the Non-Formal Education Management Information System (NFEMIS), highlights a nearly even gender distribution, with 1,862 boys (51%) and 1,784 girls (49%) currently categorized as “identified but not yet enrolled.
The identification process has been a collaborative effort involving multiple organizations, with the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) leading the charge by identifying 2,877 children. Other contributors include JJT with 433 children, the National Education Foundation (NEF) with 157, and BECS with 85. Organizations such as Muslim Hands and Sunbeams also played a role, identifying 78 and 37 children respectively, identified OOSC. These figures represent the baseline for a targeted intervention to bring these children into the formal and non-formal academic folds.
Secretary Federal Education Nadeem Mahbub has underscored that this progress is a vital component of a broader three-year rolling plan, which has set an initial target of enrolling 25,000 children in its first phase. The strategy prioritizes placement within FDE-run government institutions; however, in areas lacking public schools, the ministry is prepared to utilize community schools. By partnering with non-governmental organizations and the private sector, the ministry aims to ensure that no child in the capital is denied their right to an education due to a lack of access or resources.