<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that his country is focusing on enrolling 26 million out-of-school children to enhance literacy and empower future generations.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Education emergency has been declared across the country to handle the challenge of 26 million out-of-school children. We will make the country regain its lost space and develop it as one of the most educated societies in the world," the prime minister said while addressing a conference on education here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Highlighting the need for a vision to march in unison to promote education, Sharif said that all the stakeholders including provincial governments, international partners and civil society must work hand in hand and cooperate in this regard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that the enrollment of 26 million out-of-school children is one of the major challenges facing Pakistan, which requires special initiatives and huge financial resources, adding that the country has been taking measures to address the issue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To provide free high-quality education and boarding for underprivileged children, the premier said a number of government schools have been established across Pakistan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides that, scholarships were offered to hundreds of thousands of deserving students based on merit, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sharif said that the incumbent government will leave no stone unturned to achieve the goal of highly educated Pakistan. - Xinhua</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>