Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday launched the Ehsaas School Stipend programme for the deserving households across the country in Islamabad.

Speaking on the occasion, he said an important aspect of the programme is that it will help bring the out-of-school children especially the girls to educational institutions.

“No attention was paid in the past for the promotion of education and that is why about 20 million children today are out of school,” the premier regretted.

Emphasising upon the education of girls to uplift the society, Imran was appreciative of keeping the stipend of female students higher in Ehsaas School Stipend Programme.

He said the use of technology will help ensure transparency and no fake entries in the stipend programme.

“It is responsibility of the government to extend facilitation and establish schools in areas where these are accessible to the children,” he added.

Earlier in her remarks, Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar briefed about the stipend programme.

She said this scholarship scheme is for the students up to higher secondary level and that the scholarship will be given to those deserving parents who will ensure at least 70 percent presence of their children in schools.

“We are working closely with the Ministry of Education to bring the out-of-school children to schools in order to uplift the poor households,” Sania Nishtar said.

She said poverty survey has been completed and the Ehsaas programme will be further accelerated in days ahead.