PESHAWAR: The provincial government has launched a new initiative titled “ILMpact” in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to enrol out-of-school children and improve the quality of education in the province.
The programme, being implemented through the British Council, was officially launched by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur.
The launching ceremony was attended by Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, British Council Country Director James Hampson, officials from the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, and representatives of partner organisations.
ILMpact programme aims to benefit 80,000 out-of-school children across eight districts of the province — Battagram, Mansehra, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Khyber, Mohmand, and Dera Ismail Khan. Under this initiative, comprehensive efforts will be made to enrol out-of-school children and to improve the standard of education.
As part of the programme, master trainers will be prepared to deliver modern training to teachers, and capacity-building initiatives will be undertaken for Parent-Teacher Councils and School Management Committees in government schools.
The programme places particular emphasis on the education of girls, underprivileged and special children and those from minority communities. Additionally, awareness campaigns will be launched to promote education, especially girls’ education in the selected districts.
Addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur expressed his gratitude to all partner organisations for making the ILMpact programme a reality. He stated, “Our government’s mission is not just to provide education but to ensure the provision of quality education.
Highlighting his government’s commitment to education, the Chief Minister noted that an education emergency has been declared in the province, with a substantial increase in the budget for elementary and secondary education.
“This year, 21 percent of the total provincial budget has been earmarked for elementary and secondary education,” he said. “Plans are also under way to provide free textbooks, stationery, and school bags to students in government schools. In parallel, attention is being given to improving the quality of education through teacher training, and the recruitment of 18,000 new teachers on merit is currently in progress”, he concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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