Islamabad -  The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has enrolled 1.3 million underprivileged children in primary schools with a target to enrol 1.6 million by June 2017, said BISP Chairperson Marvi Memon while launching a nationwide “Waseela-e-Taleem (WeT)” school enrolment drive in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

This is the second phase of the enrolment drive and the BISP aims to cement the success of WeT during this phase. Launched in October 2012 in five districts, the WeT is currently operational in 32 districts and would be extended to 50 districts by the end of June 2018.

During the launch, Memon examined all the three stages involved in the registration camp.

As part of the drive, first the screening of the eligible children is carried out, followed by an awareness session on the importance of education and attendance compliance for getting benefit from the BISP  and lastly, the enrolment process of children is completed.

The BISP chairperson said that such registration camps will be set up in all 32 WeT districts across Pakistan and this phase will continue till all deserving children were enrolled in primary schools.

She instructed the WeT team to complete the enrolment process in all the districts within a minimum span of time. She said that the WeT initiative was part of a long-term graduation strategy of the BISP that aims to develop human capital and take the beneficiaries out of poverty.

She said that the BISP has registered a positive and significant impact on primary school enrolment.

According to the BISP third impact evaluation report, the WeT has resulted in an increase in enrolment of children between ages of 5 to 12 by 10 percent points that was higher than the international average.

Under the WeT initiative, the BISP enrols 5 to12-year-old children of its beneficiary families into primary schools. The beneficiary families receive Rs750 per quarter per child with the condition of 70% attendance compliance other than unconditional cash transfer of Rs4834 per quarter.