Punjab to setup 1,000 non-formal middle schools across 15 districts

The Literacy Department Punjab has launched a six-day training workshop for Master Trainers under the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP), marking the formal beginning of a major education initiative aimed at bringing thousands of out-of-school children back into the mainstream

MULTAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2026) The Literacy Department Punjab has launched a six-day training workshop for Master Trainers under the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP), marking the formal beginning of a major education initiative aimed at bringing thousands of out-of-school children back into the mainstream.

The workshop, inaugurated by Director General Literacy Asim Javed in Multan, was being conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, JICA, and AQAL, with 50 Master Trainers from 15 districts of Punjab in attendance.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, DG Asim Javed announced that 1,000 non-formal middle schools would be established across 15 districts of Punjab, with a target of reintegrating 25,000 out-of-school children into the education system.

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Under the programme, enrolled children will be prepared to pass the Grade 8 examination within just 20 months, he added. Upon completing their training, the Master Trainers will return to their respective districts to train local teachers.

The initiative falls under the System Transformation Grant project, which will run from July 2025 to June 2029. Asim Javed described the project as "a milestone for educational improvement in South Punjab," adding that bringing out-of-school children back into education remains the top priority of the Punjab government.