PEF enrollment reaches 4m students under CM Maryam’s education reforms

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th May, 2026) Under the visionary leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the number of students enrolled under the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) has reached 4 million, marking a historic milestone in the promotion of education across the province.

To commemorate the achievement, Provincial Minister for school Education Rana Sikandar Hayat cut a celebratory cake at the PEF office, here on Thursday. Chairman Chief Minister’s Task Force on Examinations Muzammil Mahmood, Chairman Punjab Education Foundation Malik Shoaib Awan, and Managing Director Punjab Education Foundation Shahid Farid were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, Rana Sikandar Hayat said that nearly two years ago, around 2.3 million students were studying under the Punjab Education Foundation. However, owing to the special focus of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, extensive educational reforms, and expansion in educational facilities, the number has now surged to 4 million.

He described the remarkable increase as a clear reflection of the Punjab government’s strong commitment and effective policies aimed at promoting education throughout the province.

The minister said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had made the provision of free and quality education to children across Punjab one of the top priorities of her government.

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He added that PEF had emerged as a source of hope and a guarantee of a brighter future for millions of children.

He further said that under the chief minister’s vision, educational opportunities were being expanded particularly in remote, underdeveloped, and low-income areas to ensure that no child remained deprived of the fundamental right to education.

Rana Sikandar Hayat highlighted that several Punjab Education Foundation initiatives, including the Nawaz Sharif School of Eminence, Public Schools Reorganization Programme, Ed-Tech Schools Programme, Foundation Assisted Schools Programme, Education Voucher Scheme, and New School Programme, were actively transforming the chief minister’s vision for educational development into reality.

He added that through these initiatives, out-of-school children were being brought back into the education system, while deserving and low-income families were being provided access to quality educational facilities.

The minister said that achieving the milestone of 4 million students reflected the public’s trust in Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s education-friendly policies and represented a significant step towards educational progress, social development, and equal opportunities across Punjab.