Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that 22.8 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 are still deprived of school education.
Shahbaz Sharif said this while attending a conference titled ‘Women’s Education in the Muslim Community: Challenges and Opportunities’ in Islamabad on Saturday (January 11). Education ministers from various Muslim countries around the world participated in the two-day conference. Geo News reported.
Shahbaz Sharif said, ‘Pakistan’s 22.8 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 are still deprived of school education. Among them, girls are more.’
He said, ‘Pakistan is facing many challenges in expanding girls’ education. To address these challenges, the Pakistani government has formed a reform committee in coordination with all the provinces of the country.’
At the event, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said, ‘The government has taken initiatives to reform the education sector. The Education Reform Commission has already done some work.’
Ishaq Dar also said that the Pakistani government is looking forward to working with Muslim countries on education.
Ministers from Turkey, Somalia, Kurdistan, Malaysia and Maldives also spoke at the conference. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai also spoke at the conference. She said, ‘I am honored, overwhelmed and happy to be back in Pakistan.’
Malala has visited Pakistan only twice since 2012. This is her third visit to her home country.
