PESHAWAR: The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is preparing to launch a new education initiative titled “ILMpact” that aims to improve access to quality education and reduce the number of out-of-school children across the province.
Provincial Minister for Education Faisal Khan Tarakai announced that the program will be officially inaugurated soon by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur.
The ILMpact program is expected to benefit around 80,000 students in eight districts: Battagram, Mansehra, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Khyber, Mohmand, and Dera Ismail Khan.
The initiative will focus on early childhood education (KG), as well as grades one and two, and will also target other primary classes.
Special attention will be given to children who have never enrolled in school or who dropped out, ensuring that they are brought back into the education system.
Speaking at a steering committee meeting for the program, Minister Tarakai highlighted that the project has been designed to provide not only access to education but also to improve its quality.
Thousands of teachers in the selected districts will receive modern training tailored to meet today’s educational needs. Master Trainers and Lead Master Trainers will be developed to support the initiative, and the training will be extended to all participating schools.
In addition to improving teaching standards, the program will strengthen the role of Parents-Teachers Councils (PTCs) and School Management Committees (SMCs).
Their capacity will be enhanced to ensure more effective school governance and community engagement.
The British Council has been selected as the lead partner for ILMpact, while various other partner organizations will implement the program at the district level. Work has already begun on developing training materials and teaching methodologies.
During the meeting, which was attended by Secretary Education Masood Ahmed, Special Secretary Education Khwaja Faheem Sajjad, MD Merged Areas Education Foundation Mian Ainullah, Additional Secretary Reforms Faiz Alam, and other senior officials and partner organizations, the minister directed the education department to support partners in obtaining the necessary NOCs so the program can be launched without delay.
Tarakai further instructed that the selection process for schools, both in morning and second shifts, be finalized quickly.
He emphasized the importance of sticking to the project timeline, minimizing unnecessary expenditures, and keeping the implementation teams small and efficient.
He also called for involving local leadership and communities in the initiative to ensure its long-term success and sustainability.
Officials from all partner organizations also met with the minister to brief him on their preparations and future plans under the ILMpact program.
The initiative is a major step by the provincial government toward ensuring inclusive and high-quality education for children in some of the most underserved regions of KP.
