Non-formal education system for street children proposed

The ministry of education has proposed non-formal education system for street children because their number is increasing day-by day in the country. Sources told Business Recorder that 'Education For All' wing has proposed to launch the project with public-private partnership. The ministry of education will launch a campaign to encourage businessmen and civil society organisations to come forward and support the government to save future of the country.
The ministry is planning to give special incentives in the form of "cash" and meal to attract those street children to the schools. It is also planning to link the non-formal education system for street children with "Tawana Pakistan Programme" to combat malnutrition and illiteracy among them.
The ministry hoped that non-formal education system with the help of 'Tawana Pakistan Programme' would attract these street children to attend school.
According to the Unesco, Pakistan has 3.31 million identified child labour, out of which 2.43 million are girls and 0.88 million are boys. Three out of ten children aged 5-9 years do not go to school and three out of five have never seen inside of a classroom.
According to an estimate, there are around 14,000 street children in Lahore and more than 15,000 in Karachi. Nearly 90 percent street children used various kinds of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
According to Unicef 'Street Children' means street-working children, who may maintain strong relationship with their family and street-living children who have very limited or no contact with family, having no or temporary shelter, without any job. It is noted that there is a growing number of children in the streets with no apparent family links, which makes the situation alarming.
Many young children run away from their homes because of abusive parents, violent home environment, forced labour, drug addiction, desire for freedom, load of domestic work, influence of films and break-down of families.
Street children's earnings usually range between Rs 10 and Rs 50 per day but this is not regular because some occupations like rag picking and scrap material bring more money.
The UN estimated figure about the population of street children world-wide is 150 million, which is on a rise. At least 120 million children are being exploited at work.