Minister for Federal Education & Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Friday said that out of school children were one of the major challenges for the incumbent government and it will take it on top priority. Addressing a literacy walk organised by the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) in connection with International Literacy Day, which started from Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat to D-Chowk on Jinnah Avenue, the minister lamented over the high number of out of school children across the country. The literacy walk was also attended by NCHD chairperson and former senator Razina Alam Khan, United Nations Educations, Scientific & Cultural Organisation Representative Vibeke Jensen and a large number of teachers, students belonging to community schools working under NCHD across the country. The students and teachers held placards and banners containing the message of rights to free education. “We will make every effort to educate these 2.5 million out of school children,” Minister Shafqat Mahmood said and remarked that all methodologies in this regard would be utilised to achieve the target. Emphasising the role of education in socio-economic development of the country, Shafqat Mahmood said the government would make any endeavour to achieve maximum literacy rate. Published in Daily Times, September 8th 2018.