Everything You Should Know About PM Imran Khan’s Ehsaas School Stipend Program & Why It’s The Right Sort Of Investment To Make

Going by the statistics, Pakistan’s education system is in a dismal state. Reports tell that approximately 22.8 million children aged 5-16 years in Pakistan are out of school, out of which, 12.6 million are girls.

With the pandemic already reversing the country’s educational gains, the ministers for education at federal and provincial levels will have to fight a much stronger case for our children in the upcoming budget than they have fought in the past. #GetGirlsEducated pic.twitter.com/Ya8dZjlZkA

— Nabeha (@Nabehal) May 20, 2021

Since the inception of Pakistan, the state of the education system has worsened over time. All of this happened due to consistent budget cuts in the development sector of the education system. Reports suggest that most of the allocated budget is used for the non-development sector, which makes it difficult to work towards the betterment of students and to bring them back to school.

The majority of funds allocated under education in #Pakistan continue to service non-development costs.
This makes it very difficult for the country to prioritize initiatives that directly improve students' enrollment, retention and learning. #InvestInEducationStrengthenPakistan pic.twitter.com/MkWgbeppu6

— PYCA (@PYCAPk) July 2, 2021

Read: Umer Sharif’s Picture On Wheelchair Goes Viral, Concerned Fans Pray For His Health

Moreover, the budgeting system is biased towards the male gender, which on the contrary pledges equal education for Pakistani children. If we look at the statistics, in Pakistan, out of the 119,813 same-sex primary schools in the country, only 43,741 are for girls. Only 36% and this clearly reflects the partial treatment of girls in Pakistan.

Looking at the grim state of affairs, it is the need of the hour to bring in gender-responsive budgeting system in the country. It is high time, girls of Pakistan are sent to schools in the same way boys are.

Pakistan's female literacy rate stands at only 45%.
For Pakistan to experience true development and prosperity, educating our women and girls is an absolute prerequisite. #InvestInEducationStrengthenPakistan pic.twitter.com/mSg9j2SUAc

— PYCA (@PYCAPk) August 2, 2021

Calculating the situation at hand, and analyzing the attention it needed, PM Imran Khan has launched an Ehsaas School stipend program for “deserving” families, so that they could send their children to schools.

The PM also highlighted how more girls are out of school than boys, and how this needs to change. There is a dire need to give girls the importance they deserve and they are more worthy of the stipend programs.

“We did not give importance to education but especially, and unfortunately, we did not give importance to the girls’ education,” PM said.

Our PM took the stats into consideration and hence kept the stipend higher for girls. “In this program, the amount of stipend has been kept especially higher for girls. School stipends are for primary, secondary and higher secondary education,” a statement read.

اس پروگرام میں بچیوں (Girls) کے لیے خصوصی طور پر وظیفے کی رقم زیادہ رکھی گئی ہے۔ اسکول وظائف پرائمری ، سیکینڈری اور ہائر سیکینڈری سطح کی تعلیم کے لیے مختص ہیں۔

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) September 1, 2021

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

Have something else to add to this? Write in the comments.