ISLAMABAD: The government was focused on providing quality education to children nationwide and giving incentives to prevent dropouts from educational institutions, Prime Minister Imran Khan said.
Addressing the launch of the Ehsaas Education Stipends programme on Wednesday, the prime minister said as over 20 million children were out of school, efforts were underway to ensure their inclusion in the educational mainstream.
The stipend programme was aimed at providing financial assistance to deserving households for the education up to higher secondary levels of their children.
Rolled out nationwide in 160 districts, the programme had been structured to give an increased stipend to girls as compared to boys.
Imran said ensuring education for all was a priority of the government, adding that stipends as incentives would be a step to encourage parents for sending their children, particularly girls, to schools.
He said an educated woman could contribute more positively towards society and lauded the policy of the programme to give a higher amount to the families of female students.
Terming educated human resource a great asset of a nation, he said it was important to provide educational opportunities to both boys and girls.
He dismissed the impression in the western world that the people of Pakistan did not want to educate their girls.
He recalled that during his visits to different parts of the country, he found no such parents who denied the right to education to their daughters. However, he said, the factors including distant schools or unavailability of female teachers could be a reason.
Imran said it was mainly the responsibility of the government to ensure the provision of quality education to all.
PM CONFIDENT FBR CAN ‘COMFORTABLY’ ACHIEVE ANNUAL TAX TARGET: Prime Minister Imran Khan is confident that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) can “comfortably” collect its annual tax target of Rs5,829 billion.
In an update on tax collection, PM Khan wrote on Twitter that the federal tax body had collected Rs850 billion during the first two months (July and August) of the current fiscal year, exceeding its own target figure by 23%.
He said this reflects growth of 51% in revenue over the same period last year.
In early August, the premier had commended the FBR for achieving a record Rs410 billion in revenue in July 2021. Taking to Twitter, PM Imran Khan had said, “As of now, the collection is Rs410b, which is highest-ever in the month of July – and around 22% above required target for the month.”
He described the record revenue collection as a reflection of the PTI-led government’s policies for sustained economic growth and revival.
