ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (ICT-PEIRA) has taken a major step towards achieving the target of Zero Out-of-School Children (OOSC) in the federal capital by deciding to collect accurate enrolment data from private schools.

Chairman ICT-PEIRA Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah said enrolment data would be scrutinised across all union councils of Islamabad to determine the actual number of out-of-school children.

As part of the initiative, ICT-PEIRA has announced a one-time amnesty for private schools from March 1 to April 30. During this period, institutions will be given relaxation in fines and penalties to encourage their inclusion in the regulatory framework.

Officials said the move aims to bring unregistered or non-compliant schools into the formal system while ensuring that accurate student data is recorded.

Dr Mallah said the campaign would help establish the real number of children currently out of school in the capital, enabling authorities to design effective educational policies and interventions.

The initiative follows the announcement by Federal Education Minister to make Islamabad a Zero OOSC city, reaffirming the government’s commitment that no child should remain deprived of education.

The ICT-PEIRA chairman said the authority had decided to work closely with private educational institutions to establish a transparent and reliable data system.

The comprehensive data campaign marks a significant step in strengthening educational planning in Islamabad and advancing efforts to ensure universal access to education in the federal capital.