RAWALPINDI. Amid ongoing military tensions with India, the Department of Education has instructed educational officers to coordinate with school administrations to formulate emergency evacuation plans to ensure the safety of students, teachers and non-teaching staff. These plans must include clear evacuation routes from every classroom to secure locations such as basements or interior rooms. Teachers are advised to keep students calm and comfort frightened children by reassuring them that they are safe and by
Child Rights in Focus
Meeting also spoke about a range of socio-economic and environmental factors affecting children’s educational outcomes The Sindh government, in partnership with UNICEF, has announced the development of a five-year multi-sectoral roadmap which aims to identify and eliminate barriers to education while creating an inclusive and supportive environment for learning across the province. The announcement was made during a high-level meeting in Karachi, chaired by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah. Participants included Sindh
ISLAMABAD: After multiple Indian drones were shot down in Rawalpindi, the authorities in the twin cities closed all educational institutions till 12th May, whereas the Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education postponed its matric and intermediate exams. In the capital, internal and external exams, including A and O level papers, will be held as per the announced schedule. Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, in a notification, said due to the prevailing security situation,
LAKKI MARWAT: A boy kept in chains by his father was released by the police in Bannu district on 8th May. A police official said that the incident came to light when a video appeared on the social media platforms showing a 10-year-old boy chained by his father at a small grocery outlet in the rural locality. DPO Saleem Abbas Kulachi took notice of the incident and directed DSP Arshad Khan for prompt action,”
TENSIONS between Pakistan and India have once again led to incursions and attacks. And there are real fears of escalation to a full-scale war between the two countries that have nuclear weapons. India attacked several places early on 7th May. Given the situation, the Islamabad and Punjab governments announced the closure of all educational institutions on 7th May. The situation is very tense and fears of escalation are very much there, especially given the drone incursions
ISLAMABAD: World Thalassemia Day will be observed across the globe on 8th May under the theme of “Together for Thalassemia: Uniting Communities, Prioritising Patients”. It is worth mentioning that thalassemia has become a silent epidemic in Pakistan, with an estimated 100,000 children suffering from thalassemia major, a preventable but life-threatening blood disorder. Each year, 5,000 to 9,000 children are born with the condition, primarily due to low public awareness, cultural practices such as cousin
RAHIM YAR KHAN: The District Education Authority (DEA) has so far solarised 45 public schools, while 100 others are under the process, by utilising non-salary budget and raising funds through community engagement, not only saving power costs, but also contributing towards green energy production. The initiative has been taken under the theme of “Energy Solutions Towards Better Pakistan”. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Khurram Pervez, during a visit to a school, told Dawn on May 6
The launch of the State of Children in Pakistan 2024 marked a pivotal moment in advancing the national agenda for child rights. The event brought together leaders, experts, and stakeholders committed to building a Pakistan where every child is safe, educated, healthy, and heard.
LAKKI MARWAT: An eight-year-old girl, who had been kidnapped from Karachi around a month ago, was safely recovered in Bannu district on 6th May, the police confirmed. An official said a party of Saddar police station raided a suspected hideout and recovered the girl, Ahmadia Bibi. He said three kidnappers, identified as Abubakar, his wife Huma Bibi and Asad, were arrested during the raid. The official said the incident had occurred in the limits
Some 3,364 cases of child abuse were reported across Pakistan in 2024, according to Sahil’s annual Cruel Numbers report – an alarming figure that should shock the conscience of the nation. The cases, drawn from media reports across all provinces, include 1,828 incidents of child sexual abuse, 1,204 abductions, 241 missing children and 56 children murdered after sexual assault. The numbers are staggering, but likely still underrepresent the true scale of abuse in the
Vice President International Diabetes Federation Erum Ghafoor has revealed that over 24,000 children and adolescents under the age of 25 in Pakistan are suffering from Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and their lives are at risk without access to insulin. To support these children, 27 specialized clinics offering free treatment have been set up across the country. Speaking to the media after a luncheon held in her honour at the Karachi Press Club, Erum Ghafoor
The court after hearing the arguments issued a notice to the concerned authority and sought a response. PESHAWAR: A writ petition has been filed in Peshawar High Court (PHC) to stop private schools in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) from collecting summer vacations fee in advance and various types of fees from the students, including promotion fees. A two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Khurshid Iqbal took up the writ petition for hearing