Summary BISP will support 3 million children to receive primary education with World Bank and DFID help.
ISLAMABAD: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will support 3 million children to receive primary education with the financial and technical support World Bank and DFID, said Farzana Raja, Federal Minister and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) while addressing a seminar on Social Protection” organized by the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS) on Wednesday.
Giving details she said a monthly cash payment of Rs. 200 per child/per month up to 3 children per beneficiary family will be provided the family ensures minimum 70 per cent attendance of the child/children every month. This initiative will support the achievement of the MDG goal related to primary education.
Farzana Raja said 9 million children in Pakistan are unable to attend primary education primarily due to financial constraints of their families. BISP has recently initiated a primary education programme for the children, aged between 5-12 years, of the beneficiary families.
She said BISP is striving to reach out to the 20 to 22 percent poorest of the poor Pakistani s in a view to improve their socio-economic conditions.
Farzana Raja said that the government through BISP alone cannot manage the huge mandate of social development in the country and therefore, private entities should join hands with BISP.
She invited researchers and institutions to come forward and collaborate with BISP for the uplift of the poor and marginalized sections of the society.
In the question answer session, Secretary BISP, Muhammad Sher Khan said BISP is providing cash assistance to the beneficiary families who have a poverty score of 16.17 or below. The cutoff mark was scientifically calculated by research experts at the World Bank.
The BISP has signed an MOU with Transparency International (TI) in Pakistan which will oversee the procurement procedures of BISP and will provide expertise in strengthening transparency in all BISP operational areas.
Guest speaker, Dr. Ijaz Nabi also appreciated BISP s performance as a comprehensive social safety net program and praised its initiatives of Waseela-e-Haq, Waseela-e-Rozgar, Waseela-e-Sehat and Waseela-e-Taleem.
