ISLAMABAD: The education ministry on October 27 decided to expand ‘School on Wheels’ project by adding two more buses to enlarge out reach of programme for early childhood education in rural areas of Islamabad.
Federal Secretary Education Nadeem Mahbub reviewed the progress of the project and showed his satisfaction.
Mr Mahbub visited and checked one of the “School on Wheels” vehicles.
When he came to know that currently only two buses are in the field, he directed that two more buses be added to expand the outreach of this initiative.
He was briefed that this initiative, which is an outreach programme bringing quality education directly to children in underserved communities, started in early 2023 on the directive of the prime minister, says a press release.
It said for over two years now, this initiative had been extending educational opportunities to children at their doorstep who otherwise face barriers to schooling.
While interacting with the assigned teachers aboard the mobile classroom, the education secretary expressed appreciation for the creativity, commitment, and inclusivity demonstrated through the programme.
The ‘School on Wheels’ serves as a model of how education outreach can be expanded, he said.
According to the press release, the secretary was informed that at present, only two buses are in the field in Islamabad Capital Territory.
Recognising the success and positive response from the community, the secretary directed to add two new units of ‘School on Wheels’ dedicated to Early Childhood Education (ECE) in slum and rural areas and special funds will be provided for the purpose.
It said new air-conditioned mobile schools will have the latest learning material and also interactive boards with internet connection.
“This will ensure that young learners effectively receive foundational learning experiences essential for their cognitive and social development, especially in rural areas of Islamabad,” the press release said.
It is relevant to note here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in February 2023 had launched this project with two buses. Speaking at the launching ceremony, Prime Minister Sharif had said the project would help the government in its effort to enhance literacy rate, particularly in the rural areas.
The prime minister had said the project would be expanded to other parts of the country and Azad Kashmir as well.
The project is being executed by Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).
“We will gradually scale up this project, our target is to add four more buses in future to make it a fleet of 8 as per original plan,” said an official when asked about the slow pace of the project’s expansion.
FDE officials said nstructional guides have been prepared for teachers based on National Curriculum of Pakistan for Early Childhood Care and Education.
Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2025.
