ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has achieved the target of enrolling one million beneficiary children in schools under Waseela-e-Taleem, said BISP Chairperson Marvi Memon. During her visit to Government Boys and Girls Taleemul Quran High Schools, Rawalpindi, she said that the official celebration will be launched by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar early next year. Waseela-e-Taleem is four years Co-responsibility Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme, which was initiated to financially support the primary education of children of BISP beneficiary families. Each beneficiary child received a cash of Rs 750 per quarter on meeting the admission verification in first quarter and attendance requirement of 70 percent in subsequent quarters till completion of primary education. The design of the programme was developed by BISP in consultation with all the stakeholders including World Bank, DFID and provincial education departments. Under the said programme, total Rs 993.50 million have been disbursed to the beneficiaries in 32 districts of the country, while Rs 161.80 million were disbursed in five districts and Rs 831 million were extended to 27 districts. Marvi said the BISP has set a target of reaching out to 1.3 million children of beneficiary families in 32 districts by June 2016, and has to-date enroled one million children, wherein 47 percent of the beneficiaries are girls. The chairperson said that BISP’s endeavours towards the issues of poverty and education are in line with the present government’s commitment to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). She said that BISP aims at expanding the programme to the entire country beyond 32 districts, as the organisation has an equaliser policy towards every region of the country. Marvi congratulated the BISP team under the leadership of BISP Secretary Muhammad Saleem Ahmed Ranjha, DFID, World Bank and Aurat Foundation on this achievement.