Global Youth Ambassador helps to enrol 3700 school students in Pakistan

A World at School appointed its Global Youth Ambassadors in April – and one of them has already been involved in a remarkable success story.

Junaid Iqbal Janjua has helped to persuade 3700 children to enrol in schools in the Pakistani state of Punjab in just two months.

The children are aged five to 16 and have never been to school or had dropped out of education.

Junaid said: “We set a target of 750 new enrollments by May 31, the beginning of the summer vacation. I am glad to report that we have been able to surpass our target by a big margin.”

The 23-year-old had already been campaigning on education issues in his community in the city of Rawalpindi before being named as an A World at School Global Youth Ambassador.

Punjab’s education department has a system in which government and private schools operate under a cluster centre, which is usually at a secondary school. The principal of the cluster centre is a high-ranking government official who is also known as the cluster incharge.

Junaid said: “After my appointment, motivated by A World at School’s vision and with the help of the organisation’s guidelines, I held a meeting with the cluster incharge of Government Loco Shed Higher Secondary School in Rawalpindi and decided to concentrate on this cluster for improving enrollment.

“The staff and headmasters of all 22 private and 12 government schools in the cluster took an active part in this campaign and facilitated my workshops to engage, encourage and motivate the community for increasing enrollments.

“They also helped to arrange interactive sessions with students and staff to motivate them and dissipate the agenda of A World at School.”

Junaid paid tribute to Cluster Incharge Mushtaq Ahmed Sial. He said: “He participated actively in all workshops and interactive sessions and worked tirelessly for the cause.

“He was also helpful in dissipating the agenda of A World at School and the positive role played by the organisation in achieving the goals of universal education and quality of learning.”

Congratulations to Junaid, Mr Sial and everyone who took part in this amazing enrollment achievement.

You can learn more about education issues in Pakistan in our Explore channel.

And you can read more in the latest United Nations Pakistan newsletter – including United Nations Special Envoy for Education Gordon Brown pledging $1billion support for a Pakistan education plan.