Bring Out of School Children to Schools - Pakistan

Executive Summary

Education is one of the most powerful tools for breaking the cycle of poverty and promoting peaceful coexistence. Since 2023, Weaving People to Grow Foundation (WPTGF) has been implementing the project "Bringing Out-of-School Children Back to School" to provide quality non-formal education and facilitate the transition of vulnerable children into formal schools. The project targets children from marginalized and low-income families who have either never attended school or dropped out due to poverty, child labour, migration, family responsibilities, or limited access to education.

Through its Non-Formal Education Centre (NFEC), WPTGF has provided accelerated learning, moral education, and peace education to more than 100 out-of-school children. Simultaneously, intensive community mobilization and parental engagement have enabled the enrolment of 61 children into mainstream schools. This year, the project has enrolled 35 Muslim and Christian children into formal education. Beyond education, WPTGF is supporting children's retention through educational supplies while empowering parents with vocational skills and livelihood opportunities to improve household income and reduce future school dropouts.

Background

Pakistan continues to face one of the world's largest education crises. According to the Pakistan Education Statistics (2023–24/2024–25) and the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2026, approximately 25.15 million children aged 5–16 years remain out of school, making Pakistan the country with the second-largest population of out-of-school children after Nigeria.

The challenge is multidimensional and includes:

• Children who have never enrolled in school.
• Children who dropped out before completing primary education.
• Late entrants into the education system.
• Gender disparities.
• Poverty and child labour.
• Limited educational access in marginalized communities.
• Low parental awareness regarding the importance of education.

These challenges are particularly severe among low-income families where education often competes with household survival needs.

Recognizing these realities, WPTGF established its Non-Formal Education Centre (NFEC) to bridge the learning gap and prepare children academically and socially for successful integration into mainstream schools.

Project Objectives

The project aims to:

• Provide accelerated non-formal education to out-of-school children.
• Prepare children for admission into formal schools.
• Promote peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and moral values among children.
• Increase parental awareness regarding the importance of education.
• Facilitate enrolment and retention in mainstream schools.
• Reduce educational inequalities affecting marginalized communities.
• Improve household resilience through livelihood and vocational support for parents.

Project Implementation: Establishment of the Non-Formal Education Centre (NFEC)

Since 2023, WPTGF has been operating a Non-Formal Education Centre where children receive:

• Accelerated literacy and numeracy education
• Basic English and Urdu language instruction
• Moral education
• Peacebuilding and peaceful coexistence education
• Social and life skills
• Interactive learning activities

The centre provides a safe and inclusive learning environment for children belonging to vulnerable Muslim and Christian communities.

To date:

• More than 100 out-of-school children have received education at the NFEC.
• Students have completed accelerated learning modules, preparing them for mainstream education.

Community Mobilization

Understanding that parental attitudes significantly influence school enrolment and retention, WPTGF conducted continuous community outreach activities.

These included:

• Household visits
• Parent counselling sessions
• Awareness meetings
• Community dialogues
• Education advocacy campaigns

Parents were educated on:

• The long-term benefits of education.
• Risks associated with child labour.
• Importance of regular school attendance.
• Equal educational opportunities for girls and boys.

As a result of these efforts:

• 61 children have successfully been enrolled in mainstream schools.

Educational Support Package

To ensure that financial barriers do not prevent children from remaining in school, WPTGF provided each enrolled child with:

• School uniforms
• School bags
• Textbooks
• Exercise books
• Stationery
• Payment of school fees for one academic year

These interventions have significantly reduced the financial burden on vulnerable families and improved school attendance.

Peace Education and Social Cohesion

Education at the NFEC extends beyond academic learning.

Children participate in structured sessions promoting:

• Peaceful coexistence
• Respect for diversity
• Religious harmony
• Tolerance
• Mutual understanding
• Non-violent conflict resolution
• Civic responsibility

Children from Muslim and Christian communities learn together in an inclusive environment, helping reduce prejudice and strengthen social cohesion from an early age.

This integrated approach contributes to building peaceful communities while preventing discrimination and social exclusion.

Livelihood Support for Parents

WPTGF recognizes that sustainable educational outcomes require improved household economic conditions.

Many children leave school because families cannot afford educational expenses or rely on children's labour for income.

To address these root causes, the project supports parents through:

• Vocational skills training
• Entrepreneurship development
• Small business management training
• Livelihood improvement initiatives

These interventions aim to:

• Increase household income.
• Reduce financial stress.
• Improve family resilience.
• Enable parents to continue supporting their children's education.
• Prevent future school dropouts.

Project Achievements

Since project implementation, WPTGF has achieved the following:

Indicator

Achievement

Non-Formal Education Centre established

1

Children receiving non-formal education

Over 100

Children enrolled in mainstream schools

61

Children enrolled through TVO partnership

35

School uniforms distributed

35

Books and stationery provided

35

School fees supported

35 children for one academic year

Parents mobilized through awareness sessions

Hundreds of family members reached

Peace education sessions conducted

Regularly integrated into learning programme

Impact

The project has generated significant positive outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Improved Access to Education

Children who previously had little or no access to education are now attending formal schools and continuing their academic journey.

Enhanced Learning Outcomes

Accelerated learning has enabled children to bridge educational gaps and transition successfully into age-appropriate school grades.

Increased Community Awareness

Parents now better understand the value of education and demonstrate a stronger commitment to keeping children in school.

Promoting Peaceful Coexistence

Children from different faith communities learn together, fostering mutual respect, friendship, and inclusive values that contribute to long-term peacebuilding.

Reduced Financial Barriers

Educational assistance has eased the economic burden on vulnerable families and encouraged regular school attendance.

Improved Household Resilience

Livelihood support initiatives are helping parents develop sustainable income sources, reducing the likelihood of children dropping out due to poverty.

Challenges

Despite encouraging progress, several challenges remain:

• High poverty levels continue to force many children into labour.
• Rising inflation increases educational costs for vulnerable families.
• Some parents still prioritize immediate income over education.
• Limited funding restricts the number of children who can be supported.
• Transportation costs remain a barrier for some children.

Lessons Learned

The project has demonstrated that:

• Community mobilization is essential for increasing school enrolment.
• Accelerated non-formal education effectively prepares children for mainstream schools.
• Educational support packages significantly improve school retention.
• Peace education strengthens social cohesion and promotes inclusive communities.
• Livelihood interventions for parents contribute to sustainable educational outcomes.
• Partnerships with government institutions greatly enhance project impact and sustainability.

Future Plans

WPTGF aims to expand the project by:

• Increasing the number of Non-Formal Education Centres.
• Reaching more out-of-school children in underserved communities.
• Expanding partnerships with government and development organizations.
• Providing vocational training to more parents.
• Enhancing digital learning opportunities.
• Establishing continuous mentoring and monitoring systems for enrolled students.
• Strengthening peace education curricula within non-formal education programmes.

Conclusion

The "Bringing Out-of-School Children Back to School" project demonstrates that community-led, holistic interventions can successfully transform the lives of vulnerable children and their families. By combining accelerated education, parental engagement, peacebuilding, educational assistance, and livelihood support, WPTGF has enabled more than 100 children to access learning opportunities and facilitated the successful enrolment of 61 children into mainstream schools, including 35 through its partnership with TVO.

The project reflects WPTGF's commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of socioeconomic background or religious identity, has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and contribute to a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Pakistan. Continued support from GlobalGiving and development partners will enable WPTGF to expand this model and reach many more out-of-school children who remain deprived of their fundamental right to education.