Across Pakistan, the decision for a child to stay in school or drop out often hinges not on ambition but on a few thousand rupees. The cost of rickshaw fare, notebooks, or uniforms—often stitched oversized to last longer—can tip the balance. For thousands of families, education is not denied in a single moment but slips away piece by piece. This is why programs like Waseela-e-Taleem and Zewar-e-Taleem matter. They are more than cash transfers; they are promises that poverty should not decide a child's future, especially for girls.
Conditional Cash Transfers: A Lifeline for Education
Both programs operate on conditional cash transfers. Families receive funds only if children remain enrolled and maintain attendance. Waseela-e-Taleem, under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), is a nationwide initiative for children from BISP-registered low-income families. Zewar-e-Taleem, specific to Punjab, targets girls in 16 low-literacy districts and currently supports about 1.105 million students. This is crucial, as UNICEF reports that Punjab has the largest number of out-of-school children, with nearly 9.7 million aged 5–16 not attending school.
Addressing Hidden Costs of Education
Poverty remains a central barrier to education. Hidden costs like uniforms, transport, and exam fees often force irregular attendance or push families to withdraw children entirely. Conditional cash transfers help prevent poverty from dictating educational accessibility. Studies show these stipends have delivered real gains: higher attendance, better retention, and improved enrollment, especially among girls, who are often the first to be pulled out when families face financial strain.
Zewar-e-Taleem has shifted narratives in conservative districts, improving gender parity and even contributing to delayed marriage. Teachers and officials describe this as a social signal that girls' education is worth public investment. This is vital in a country where the right to education exists in the Constitution but is far from guaranteed in practice.
Challenges and the Need for Reform
However, stipend amounts have not kept pace with rising education costs and inflation. Zewar-e-Taleem's rate has been stuck since 2016-17, and Waseela-e-Taleem saw only a modest revision in 2024-25, while education inflation remains high, especially in rural areas. Poor coordination between federal and provincial systems, weak registry links, and data errors cause exclusions and delays that hit the poorest families hardest. Bureaucratic inconsistency and shifting priorities threaten the continuity of these proven programs.
Practical Recommendations for Improvement
A recent study by Awaz-CDS offers practical recommendations. First, increase financial allocations so stipends reflect real education costs and keep pace with inflation. Second, strengthen coordination between federal and provincial institutions, particularly the NSER and provincial registries, to avoid duplication and close gaps. The report also proposes a dynamic National Education Registry backed by universal birth registration to track every child's educational journey effectively.
Expansion is also key: include private institutions, extend stipends to technical and vocational training, and consider secondary-level students. Reward educational achievement with performance bonuses, highlight success stories, and use awareness campaigns to shift attitudes around girls' education. Finally, social protection institutions should lead digital transformation for timely disbursement and monitoring.
A Long-Term Investment in Equity
These proposals reflect a broader idea: educational stipends should be treated as long-term investments in equity and human development, not narrow tools. Waseela-e-Taleem and Zewar-e-Taleem have made a meaningful difference, helping low-income families keep children in school and improving girls' participation. Their success should be the beginning of a policy conversation. If Pakistan is committed to the right to education, these programs must be protected, updated, and expanded. The evidence is clear. The question is whether the state will act with the urgency required.
Zainab Zafar is a freelance columnist.
