Rs19.25 Billion Boost for Education: Danish Schools to Transform Underserved Regions!
In a major push to advance quality education nationwide, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday greenlit six high-impact projects worth over Rs19.25 billion to establish Danish Schools in Pakistan’s most underserved districts.
Chaired by Federal Minister for Planning and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, the high-level meeting reviewed proposals from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. The projects aim to bridge educational disparities by bringing elite schooling opportunities to remote and disadvantaged areas.
The new Danish Schools will be set up in Qila Saifullah, Kan Mehtarzai, Sibi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Dera Bugti (Bikar), Musa Khel, and Zhob—each funded through a 50:50 federal-provincial cost-sharing agreement.
Attended by Secretary Planning Owais Manzoor Samra, Chief Economist Dr. Nadeem Javaid, Vice Chancellor of PIDE, and senior officials, the meeting underscored the urgency of tackling Pakistan’s education emergency. Prof. Iqbal stressed that with over 25 million out-of-school children, the country’s future hinges on bold interventions.
“No nation can thrive without crossing a 90% literacy rate,” he declared, hailing the Danish School model—a Punjab-originated success—as a game-changer. These free, boarding-based institutions will offer underprivileged students world-class education, digital skills, and entrepreneurial training while preserving cultural values.
Praising Balochistan’s government for donating land and sharing costs, Prof. Iqbal called it a “gold standard in federal-provincial collaboration.” The schools will also admit day scholars and provide teacher housing to ensure top-tier education delivery.
Terming the initiative a “foundation for national unity and economic revival,” he said Danish Schools will empower marginalized youth, turning them into catalysts for social justice and prosperity. This nationwide expansion marks a pivotal step toward Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of education for all.