Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra Monday formally launched the 100 percent Enrollment Campaign in schools of Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) by initiating enrolment of kids in nursery classes.
On the occasion, kids were provided free bags and books. “There is no dearth in talent among FATA students. They can compete at all levels”, he added. He said that the present government was putting all its efforts to ensure equal education opportunities for the people of FATA at par with other areas.
He expressed these views while formally launching ceremony of enrollment drive in FATA here at the Governor’s House. Besides Additional Chief Secretary FATA, Fida Wazir, Secretary Social Sector FATA Yousaf Raheem and Director Education FATA Hashim Khan, Additional Director Education FATA Muhammad Abbas Khan, Heads of UNICEF and UNDP and concerned officials of FATA Secretariat were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, the governor said, ‘Education is one of the powerful tools which can change the fate of any nation’. While lauding the efforts of UNICEF and UNDP, he said with the help of these donor agencies education campaign would be launched successfully. The governor said the education and knowledge were the key to socio-economic development.
He said education was given top priority and we have already announced education emergency in tribal areas. ‘To make Pakistan a developed and sovereign country, we have to educate every child’. He urged the concerned officials to play their role to ensure 100pc primary enrollment in the schools in FATA.
He said no efforts would be spared to get 100pc school children enrolled in FATA. Education was pre-requisite for the real development of country, he added. He said all out efforts were being taken to provide access to education at the doorstep to all the school going children in tribal areas.
While congratulating the students, the governor said that education was the right of every children and it was the responsibility of the state to provide education. He said facilities of education and books would be provided to the students without delay. The governor also distributed certificates to position holder students and congratulated them.
He said in the enrolment drive, children aged between 4 and 9 years would be enrolled. He said special steps were being taken to enroll children in schools from 8th April till 31st May. He also extended felicitations to those, boys and girls, who continued their studies and clinched positions in the examination despite the current adverse circumstances and expressed his hope that the children would consistently focus their attention on studies and prove to be the shining stars of FATA in future as well. He said FATA students had great potential to compete with students of prestigious institutions of the country.