EVALUATING THE ROLE OF BENAZIR INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAM (BISP) TALEEMI WAZAIF IN INCREASING ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION OF PRIMARY-LEVEL STUDENTS IN DISTRICT ABBOTTABAD
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Abstract
While the government has been striving to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, millions of children in Pakistan are still out of school, reflecting the ongoing educational crises. The Benazir Taleemi Wazaif (BTW) program is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) initiative that seeks to boost school enrollment and retention through financial assistance to low-income families in Pakistan. This study aims to assess the impacts of the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif on school enrolment and retention of primary school children in District Abbottabad. The study further explore the challenges in getting educational stipends and its impacts on primary level education in the selected households. The study uses a mixed methods research approach and found that the Taleemi Wazaif program has positively increased primary level enrollment rate of children in District Abbottabad. The attendance has improved up to 92% in the selected households and students’ drop out has decreased. The study also identified some challenges such as delayed payments, long distances from the payment centers, biometric and communication issues.
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References
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