PCCR Convenor Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan Meets Federal Education Minister on National Education Emergency
Islamabad – April 21, 2025 | Reporter: Imtiaz Ali Abbasi | Posted by: Watts News, The Largest English Digital News Network Pakistan
In a significant development addressing the crisis of Out-of-School Children (OOSC) in Pakistan, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Member of the National Assembly and Convenor of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR), held a high-level meeting with the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, in Islamabad today.
During the meeting, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan briefed the Federal Minister on the successful provincial consultation sessions conducted by PCCR. These sessions aimed to lay the foundation for establishing provincial-level child rights caucuses, acknowledging that child rights fall under provincial jurisdiction. Emphasis was placed on the need to understand the unique socio-economic factors of each province in order to develop more targeted strategies to reduce the number of OOSC.
Major Causes Identified Behind OOSC Crisis
Dr. Khan elaborated on key findings from primary research conducted by the PCCR, highlighting the most common contributors to the OOSC crisis. These include:
Widespread poverty
Inadequate access to schools
Deficient school infrastructure
Shortage of qualified teachers
High migration rates
She underscored the critical need to segregate data on a rural-urban basis, particularly due to alarming numbers of OOSC in slum areas. Non-formal schools in Islamabad were also recognized as playing a vital role in alleviating educational challenges.
Additionally, the meeting tackled complex issues such as "ghost schools" and "ghost teachers," raising the question: if poverty can be a reason for children not attending school, can it also excuse absentee educators?
Federal Minister Commends PCCR's Efforts
The Minister for Federal Education & Professional Training applauded the PCCR’s tireless advocacy and affirmed his ministry's full support in finalizing the PCCR’s report. This report is based on rich qualitative data gathered from across Pakistan to better understand and respond to the OOSC challenge.
Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan extended her heartfelt thanks to the Minister and officially invited him to attend the Closing Ceremony of the National Education Emergency Project focused on addressing Out-of-School Children.
Officers from the Ministry and the National Assembly Secretariat were also present during the meeting.
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Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan meets Federal Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to address the nationwide crisis of Out-of-School Children in Pakistan and push for child rights and provincial caucuses.
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