PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has launched `ILMpact`, an initiative to enrol 80,000 out-of-school children in eight districts of the province and improve quality of education, in collaboration with United Kingdom`s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

The programme, according to an official statement issued here on Thursday, is being implemented through British Council. It was officially launched by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur at a ceremony at Chief Minister`s House.

The ceremony was attended by the minister for elementary and secondaryeducation, Faisal Khan Tarakai, the country director of British Council, James Hampson, officials of elementary and secondary education department and representatives of partner organisations.

The statement said that ILMpact programme would benefit 80,000 out-ofschool children in eight districts of province including Battagram, Mansehra, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Khyber, Mohmand and Dera Ismail Khan.

It said that under ILMpact, comprehensive efforts would be made to enrol out-of-school children and improve the standard of education in those selected districts. As part of the programme, master trainers would be prepared to impart modern training to teachers while capacity-building initiatives would be undertaken for parent-teacher councils and school management committees in government schools.

`The programme places particular emphasis on 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,` said the statement.

During his address on the occasion, Mr Gandapur expressed his gratitude to all partner organisations for making the programme a reality.

`Our government`s mission is not just to provide education but to ensure provision of quality education. From the outset, we have prioritised provision of missing facilities in schools. For the current year, we have set a target that no child in a government school should be without a chair or desk. Funds have already been allocated to achieve this, he said.

Mr Gandapur said that ILMpact was a vital step in the broader set of reforms being introduced to modernise the province`s education system. He said that only an enlightened nation could stand on its own feet. He said that awareness came through education.

He said that provincial government was paying special attention to girls`education, as only educated mothers could raise an educated nation.

Highlighting his government`s commitment to education, the chief minister said that an education emergency was declared in the province, with a substantial increase in the budget for elementary and secondary education.

`This year, 21 per cent of the total provincial budget has been earmarked for elementary and secondary education, he said, adding that during the last one year, 1.3 million out-of-school children were enrolled in schools and a target was set to enrol an additional one million children during the current academic year.

The chief minister informed participants of the ceremony that plans were also under way to provide free textbooks, stationery and bags to students in government schools.

In parallel, attention was being given to improving the quality of education through teacher training and the recruitment of 18,000 new teachers on merit was currently in progress, he said.