RADCAI

Rural Areas Development Council- Al-Irshad

Al-Irshad Education Scholarships

Pakistan has the second highest number of out of school children, after Nigeria, in the world. Currently, 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school, representing 44 per cent of the total population in this age group. Nearly 10.7 million boys and 8.6 million girls are enrolled at the primary level but only 3.6 million boys and 2.8 million girls reach at the lower secondary level. Almost 7.1 million (71 Lakh) boys and 5.8 million (58 lakh) girls drop out before they reach lower secondary level. This is probably the highest school dropout rate in the world.
 
We are operating in one of the underdeveloped subdivisions of Punjab, Pind Dadan Khan. This is one of the four subdivisions of district Jhelum. This subdivision is famous for Khewra Salt Mines, Asia’s largest salt mine, in use for over 2000 years. Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni commonly known as al-Biruni used Nandna Fort located at Baghanawala-a small mountain village of Pind Dadan Khan-to measure the Earth’s radius. Αl-Biruni was an astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher. He was the first one to obtain a simple formula for measuring the Earth’s radius. The name of Government Al Beruni Degree College Pind Dadan Khan was honoured to Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni. The area has a long history from the time of Alexander the Great’s invasion (325327 BC). The small town of Jalalpur Sharif is in Pind Dadan Khan and is said to be where Alexander the Great’s famous horse, Bucephalus is buried.
 
According to the Population Census of 2017, the total population of subdivision Pind Dadan Khan is 336,841 (164,411 male:172,404 female and transgender 26). According to academic research conducted by Dr Waheed Mughal, more than 700 secondary school students drop out each year in subdivision Pind Dadan Khan. The purpose of Al-Irshad Education Scholarships is to help the poor students in completing their education. The Council has helped more than 2400 children in completing their school education.