With focus on girls' education, PM launches Ehsaas School Stipend program for deserving students

Prime Minister Imran Khan launched on Wednesday the Ehsaas School Stipend Program, stressing that the initiative will encourage the youth especially girls to attend educational institutions.

Addressing the launching ceremony of the program, the PM said that currently, 20 million children are out of school, as unfortunately, no attention was paid to the promotion of education in the past.

This program will help bring out children as there are cash incentives being given, he maintained.

"The country has paid no attention to the education of females. Educated women are more beneficial to a society than a man is. They teach their children, can turn around the structure of the house, and look after the health and well-being of the children."

He added that this program will give more incentives to girls than boys, encouraging them to come out of their homes and pursue education.

PM to launch Ehsaas Education Stipends Programme today

Program details entail quarterly cash stipends ranging from Rs1,500 to 4,000 to deserving students from primary to higher secondary levels while lending preference to female students in terms of stipend payments.

The Ehsaas School Stipend Program will be rolled out nationwide across all districts, according to the federal government. Under this initiative, primary school boys will get quarterly stipends of Rs1,500 and girls Rs 2,000; secondary school boys will get Rs2,500 and girls Rs3,000 and higher secondary-level boys will get Rs3,500 and girls Rs4,000 a quarter.

All education stipends will be paid biometrically to mothers on attainment of 70 percent attendance of their children, an official handout said. Ehsaas Education Stipends Programme will empower deserving families to overcome financial barriers in accessing higher education, the statement added.

"Safeguarding, that girls are not underrepresented in education, the Ehsaas Education Stipends Programme is fully skewed towards girls, offering higher stipend amounts for them," it added.