To introduce gender equality in education through enhanced enrolment and retention of girls at middle/secondary level in public schools, the Girls Stipend Programme was launched in the 16 low literacy districts of Punjab during the year 2003. At inception, the stipend was disbursed at Rs. 200 per month or Rs. 600 per quarter through Pakistan Postal Services. The programme was revamped and relaunched as Zaver-e-Taleem Programme during the year 2017. The stipend rate was revised at Rs. 1000 per month or Rs. 3000 per quarter and disbursed through Khidmat Card/ATM. Recently, ATMs have been replaced with the latest biometric mode of disbursement.
The 16 districts covered under ZTP are:
Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Chiniot, D.Gkhan, Jhang, Kasur, Khanewal, Layyah, Lodhran, Muzzafargarh, Okara, Pakpattan, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Vehari.
Eligibility Criteria:
All female students enrolled in public schools from Grades 6 to 10 are the beneficiaries of the programme subject to the fulfillment of the following conditions:
1. 80% of the attendance for a quarter
2. Progression to the next grade.
(Failed students are not eligible for the stipend during the repeating year however, on progression to the next grade her entitlement for stipend is resumed)
Frequency and Mode of Payment:
Under the ZTP Rs.3000/- is being provided on a quarterly basis (Rs.1000/- per month) to girl students of public schools who have maintained an attendance rate of at least 80% for the previous quarter and are also promoted to the next grade.
Stipend is disbursed after biometric verification of the beneficiaries at cash outs points close to their native areas. This cash out facility is available in all the 36 districts of Punjab.
Currently, around 550,000 students are beneficiaries of the Girls Stipend Programme. Annual budget of the programme ranges from Rs. 5.5 to 6 billion.
Implementing Agencies along with Role/Responsibilities:
School Education Department/PMIU-PESRP
Enrolment and attendance data collection, cleansing, analysis, and sharing with PSPA for enrolment into programme and determining the eligibility for each quarter.
Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA)
Registration and disbursement of stipend
Complaint Redressal Cells:
In order to address the complaints arising at different stages of the programme, Complaint Redressal Cells (CRCs) have been established at the office of District Monitoring Officers (DMOs) in 16 stipend districts enlisted above. Complaint Forms (Urdu Version) are available in the said offices.
Redressal Steps:
- Filling of the complaint form is available at the DMO office along with mandatory evidence mentioned on the form.
- Verification/endorsement of filled complaint form by Head Teacher.
- Submission of the verified form to the DMO office.
- Assignment of diary number on the verified Complaint Form by the DMO office.
- Sharing of the Complaint Forms received at the DMO office with PMIU-PESRP through official post and email on a weekly or fortnightly basis in hard and soft form.
- Analysis/rechecking of entry and evidence attached with the form at PMIU-PESRP.
- Rejection of incomplete forms to the DMO office for rectification from the concerned school and forwarding the cleansed complaints to PSPA by PMIU-PESRP on a fortnightly basis.
- Processing of complaints by PSPA after in-house cleansing and analysis and further sharing with the Bank of Punjab (BOP) to make it available for registration of the beneficiary and subsequent disbursement on availability of funds.