In line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision to promote quality education across the country, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) Thursday approved six major educational projects worth more than Rs19.25 billion for the establishment of Danish Schools in underserved districts.
The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed proposals submitted by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. These initiatives aim to expand access to quality education in backward and remote areas of Pakistan.
The projects will see the establishment of Danish Schools in districts including Qila Saifullah, Kan Mehtarzai, Sibi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Dera Bugti (Bikar), Musa Khel, and Zhob. Each project will be executed under a 50:50 cost-sharing model between the federal and provincial governments.
During the session, attended by Secretary Planning Owais Manzoor Samra, the Chief Economist, the Vice Chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, and other senior officials from federal and provincial departments, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the importance of bridging educational gaps in remote regions. He said the Danish School model, originally pioneered by the Punjab government, is now being expanded nationwide to ensure equal opportunities for students regardless of geography or socio-economic background.
He noted that Pakistan currently faces the dire challenge of having over 25 million out-of-school children. “No country can progress unless the literacy rate exceeds 90 percent,” he said, adding that the Danish Schools initiative is a strategic response to this crisis, aimed at providing free, quality boarding education to children from underprivileged areas.
He lauded the Balochistan government for its proactive role in offering land for the schools and agreeing to contribute half of the financial cost, calling it a model of intergovernmental cooperation.
Prof. Iqbal also highlighted the broader goals of the Danish School network, which include promoting digital literacy, entrepreneurship, innovation, and traditional values. He said these schools would also accommodate day scholars to extend their reach and would provide boarding for teachers to ensure high-quality instruction.
Calling the initiative a cornerstone of a “modern, comprehensive, and sustainable education system,” the minister said the Danish Schools will serve as a launching pad for national unity, economic strength, and social justice by uplifting children from the most marginalized communities of Pakistan.