Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has lauded the efforts of the United Kingdom for increasing enrollment of out of school children in Pakistan.

He was talking to British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, who called on him in Islamabad today.

The Minister informed the British High Commissioner that the government is working on a programme to declare education emergency in the country on the directive of Prime Minister. 

He said that the number of out of school children in Pakistan is ballooning and the only way to address this issue is by making it a national agenda. He encouraged the UK to provide support in the cause of eliminating out of school children.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said we need to bring all the stakeholders especially donors on one platform so that all the effort can be channeled and streamlined.

Speaking on the occasion, Jane Marriott said that United Kingdom and Pakistan are the oldest partners and have been shoulder to shoulder since 1947.

She informed the Minister that the UK encourages expansion of its green programme which can lead to an increase in enrolment of Pakistani students in the UK universities via distance learning.

The British High Commissioner also informed that Google Education is highly interested in supporting Pakistan in its bid to address the issue of access to education.

Country Director British Council James Hompson told the minister that after China the biggest British Council Programme is in Pakistan. He requested the minister that the Global Chief Executive of British Council will be visiting Pakistan in May and would like to visit him. 

Duringh the meeting Secretary Education Mohyuddin Wani highlighted that Ministry of Education is developing a comprehensive plan which will declare an education emergency in the country and will furthermore align all the stakeholders on the same page. He said that all the donors and NGOs operating in Pakistan are working in silos and compartments.