PESHAWAR, April 15: The government, with the assistance of the World Food Programme (WHP), is likely to launch a three-year Food-for-Education Scheme in two regions of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). The programme will be aimed at enhancing the rate of literacy.

According to official sources, the cost of the three-year programme would be around Rs516 million of which Rs428.380 million would be provided by the UN body while the government share was Rs88.230 million. Initially, the sources said, the Fata Civil Secretariat had identified four agencies — Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Orakzai agencies for the programme.

Now, they said, the programme was likely to be started in parts of Mohmand and Landi Kotal tehsils. Citing reasons, an official said that the enrolment ratio, particularly for girls, was very low in these two regions and that was why these areas had been selected for the monthly food stipend programme.

Under the programme flour, biscuits and edible oil would be distributed among male and female students on a monthly basis. The teaching staff will also get food package in these areas. Officials said that the students attending classes regularly would be eligible to receive the food package. The rate of attendance in these areas was very poor in the past.

Data compiled by Fata Directorate of Education says that the total number of students at primary level schools in the Mohmand Agency is 27,185 (20,735 boys and 6,450 girls). In the Khyber Agency, the number of boys in primary schools is 26,570 and girls students are 19,681.

Officials said that the PC-I of the programme had been approved and the scheme was likely to be started in these areas from the next financial year. The boys will get food assistance at primary level and girls would receive food till the middle level.