ISLAMABAD:
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved the establishment of six Daanish schools in Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), at a cost of Rs19.253 billion, in line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s initiative to provide quality education system to far-flung areas.
The Planning Ministry said in a statement that these schools would be built under the formula of 50:50 cost-sharing by the federal government and the respective provincial governments. “These schools aim to uplift the most marginalised segments of society by providing access to quality education,” it said.
According to the statement, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired the meeting, attended by Planning Secretary Awais Manzur Sumra, chief economist and the members of the Planning Commission (PC) and senior representatives from relevant federal ministries and provincial governments.
These schools would be established in Balochistan’s Kan Mehtarzai, costing Rs2,929.856 million; Sibi, costing Rs3,351.987 million; Baiker, Dera Bugti district, costing Rs2,665.733 million; Musakhel, costing Rs3,630.771 million; and Zhob, costing Rs3,632.405 million.
The sixth approved Daanish schools would be established in AJK, costing Rs3,042.778 million. All these projects were cleated at the CDWP level, the Planning Minister stated in the statement.
The Daanish Schools network is the largest system of free boarding schools for boys and girls in Pakistan, with a view to uplifting the most marginalised segments of the society by providing them access to the quality education.
The Punjab government had earlier established a wide network of the Daanish schools, but now the other provinces are also taking steps to replicate this model to support talented students from underprivileged backgrounds.
“The establishment of these schools represents a major step forward in addressing challenges faced by the education sector, especially in less developed areas,” the ministry said. “The federal government also plans to establish new Daanish Schools in underserved districts,” it added.
“The initiative aims to empower youth, build stronger communities, and help create a more inclusive and equitable society. These schools will move beyond traditional rote learning, and promote 21st-century education models by integrating technology to improve delivery and track student progress.”
Speaking during the CDWP meeting, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal stated that more than 25 million children in Pakistan were currently out of school, which was a matter of serious national concern. He stressed that raising the literacy rate to 90% was essential for the country’s development.
