Civil society calls for Rs3,000 Zewar-e-Taleem stipend

Lawmakers, education department officials, civil society members and girls’ education advocates assess Zewar-e-Taleem programme’s performance and future requirement

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 16th, 2026) Civil society representatives have urged the government to raise the monthly stipend under the Zewar-e-Taleem Programme (ZTP) from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000 and to extend its coverage beyond the existing 17 districts in order to further strengthen girls’ secondary education across Punjab.

The demand was raised during an advocacy forum titled “Strengthening Zewar-e-Taleem Program for Girls’ Secondary Education” organised by AwazCDS-Pakistan at a local hotel in Lahore. The session brought together lawmakers, education department officials, civil society members, and girls’ education advocates to assess the programme’s performance and future requirements.

Participants were informed through a detailed presentation that the initiative has led to notable improvements in girls’ education outcomes. These include an 18 percent rise in enrolment, a 17 percent improvement in progression from Grade 5 to Grade 6, and a 41 percent higher attendance rate in programme-supported schools compared to non-participating institutions. The data also reflected better learning performance, increased student confidence, higher completion rates, delayed marriages, and improved aspirations for employment among girls.

Speakers noted that although the programme has delivered positive results, the real value of the stipend has been eroded due to rising inflation, making a revision necessary.

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They emphasised that enhanced financial assistance would help reduce economic barriers that often prevent girls from low-income families from continuing their education.

The forum also highlighted the need to expand the programme to underserved districts where female literacy rates remain low. Participants pointed out ongoing administrative challenges such as delayed payments, data correction issues, weak complaint resolution systems, and limited coordination among relevant institutions.

Despite these issues, parents, students, and school administrators expressed strong approval of the initiative, stating that it has improved attitudes towards girls’ education and helped reduce dropout rates.

The event concluded with recommendations for policy reforms, including improved payment mechanisms, digital monitoring and verification systems, stronger grievance redressal structures, and enhanced academic and career counselling support for students.

Civil society stakeholders stressed the importance of sustained government commitment to ensure the continued expansion and effectiveness of the programme for girls’ education and empowerment across Punjab.