In a significant meeting held on Wednesday, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and UNESCO Chief Fuad Pashayev explored pressing educational and social development challenges confronting Pakistan. The high-profile dialogue, attended by Secretary of Education Nadeem Mehbub and other senior ministry officials, underscored the urgency of addressing the alarming number of out-of-school children in the nation, particularly girls.

Fuad Pashayev extended his condolences over the recent flood devastation in Pakistan and reassured the country of UNESCO’s unwavering support. The talks primarily focused on Pakistan’s daunting education challenges, emphasizing the paramount issue of the large number of children not receiving formal education, alongside broader issues in agriculture and the social sciences.

Dr. Siddiqui expressed his appreciation for UNESCO’s backing, particularly its commitment to advancing girls’ education. He highlighted the critical importance of tackling the education crisis and improving the quality of education and teacher training as top government priorities. “Millions of children in Pakistan remain out of school, and addressing their future is a national priority,” he stressed.

In response, UNESCO’s chief reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to providing continued support to strengthen Pakistan’s education sector. Secretary Nadeem Mehbub described the collaboration with UNESCO as highly beneficial, revealing that a draft plan is in place to confront the challenge of out-of-school children. He emphasized the government’s Zero Out-of-School Children Plan 2030, which targets both formal and non-formal educational sectors.

The meeting concluded with Pakistan pledging active participation in the forthcoming UNESCO General Council session in Uzbekistan, marking a step forward in international collaboration to combat the educational crisis.