PROVINCE REPORT
PESHAWAR: An important resolution has been submitted in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly by Pakistan Peoples Party women lawmakers Shazia Tahmas, Ashber Jadoon, and Mehar Sultana, calling for urgent measures to promote girls’ education and address the growing education crisis in the province.
The resolution proposes declaring the fiscal year 2026-27 as the “Year for the Revival of Girls’ Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” It highlights the deteriorating situation of girls’ education and stresses the need for immediate policy attention ahead of the upcoming provincial budget.
Lawmakers have urged the provincial government to maintain the existing 70:30 development budget ratio for girls’ education to ensure continuity of ongoing projects and improvement of educational facilities for girls across the province.
The resolution also references Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Free and Compulsory Primary and Secondary Education Act 2017, emphasizing the state’s responsibility to provide free and compulsory education to all children aged 5 to 16 without discrimination.
Citing the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Digital Census 2023, the resolution notes that nearly 4.9 million children in the province are out of school, including over 2.9 million girls, terming the situation a “silent educational emergency.” It calls for urgent and practical steps to address the crisis.
The lawmakers further stressed that investment in girls’ education is essential for economic stability, women’s empowerment, and sustainable development. They also urged political parties, civil society, media, and education stakeholders to jointly support efforts for prioritizing education in the upcoming budget.
