GILGIT: Over 10,000 out-of-school children, including girls, were enrolled in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan during the enrolment campaign this year.

A total of 10,590 children, including 2,165 girls, were enrolled in the Diamer schools this year. According to data provided by the Diamer education department, about 4,000 children between age 5 and 16 years, mostly girls, were still out of school in the district.

The district administration and education department had launched the enrolment campaign in Diamer district on April 1, which concluded on May 1.

The concluding ceremony of the campaign was held in a government school in Chilas on Saturday, which was attended by officials of the administration and education department, elders of the area and students and their parents.

Speaking on the occasion, Diamer deputy commissioner Ameer Azam Hamza said that this campaign was part of the education emergency imposed by GB Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman last year after torching of 14 girls schools in Diamer.

He said that enrolment of over 10,000 children in Diamer during one month was a big achievement. He said the officials would continue their efforts to enrol more out-ofschool children in future.

Speaking on the occasion, GB director education Abdul Hakeem said that the education department was trying its best to promote education in the district.

The speakers said that thousands of children, mostly girls, were still out of school and urged the parents to enrol their children for their bright future.

Talking to this correspondent, GB government spokesman Faizullah Faraq said that presently only three per cent of girls and about 60 per cent of boys were enrolled in Diamer district.

Mr Faraq, who hails from Diamer, said that it was the most backward district of the region in education sector.

He said that efforts would be made to enrol all the out-of-school children.