Low Enrolment Irks SED, Directs CEOs To Ensure 100% Enrolment

The Punjab School Education Department (SED) has directed all the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the District Education Authorities (DEAs) of the province to ensure 100 percent enrolment as per targets set by the department.

In a letter issued on Monday, it was observed that some districts were meeting half or less targets during the on-going enrolment campaign for the year 2019. The campaign was started in March and will enroll students in different grade up till October of this year. However, some districts have fallen short of the targets and a letter in this regard has been issued.

The campaign has identified a total of 13.198 million children in different grades who are to be enrolled during the current year, whereas the department claims to have enrolled 11.337 million already, which is about 85 percent of the target.

The letter identifies Katchi, and Katchi to level 5, as the two problem areas and identified 5 lowest districts in each of the two categories and directed them to make efforts to achieve 100 percent enrolment by the end of the campaign.

For Katchi, Kasur had the lowest percentage in terms of target achievement which stood at a mere 46 percent. It was followed by Khanewal with 48 percent, Faisalabad and Vehari with 50 percent each and Khushab with 52 percent.

For Katchi to 5, the lowest enrolment was observed in Rajanpur district with 68 percent of the targets achieved. Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan with 71 percent each, Rahim Yar Khan with 72 percent and Multan with 73 percent of the targets achieved so far.

The letter sent to the CEOs by the SED said, “While examining the district-wise progress on achievement of enrollment targets, the Secretary School Education has expressed his concern over non-achievement of 100 percent targets particularly following lowest achievers in Katchi level and Katchi to 5”.

The letter further directed, “The competent authority has directed that each district shall ensure achievement of 100 percent enrollment particularly dedicated efforts are required at the end of lowest achievers as the enrollment targets were set rationally by the schools themselves this year”.

“You are requested to pass on necessary directions to lower formation and Heads of all schools to gear up efforts under enrollment campaign to achieve 100 percent targets and the targets achieved shall be reflected into School Information System (SIS) accordingly for view by the competent authority,” the letter added.