Balochistan Cabinet Approves Law to Bring 1.6 Million Out-of-School Children Into Education

The Balochistan cabinet on 9 October 2026 approved the Balochistan Non-Formal Education Act, 2025, aimed at about 1.6 million out-of-school children aged 10 to 16. It also approved double-shift teaching in government schools. The law still has to go through the Balochistan Assembly, and no enrolment date has been set.

Ask any teacher in Quetta or Khuzdar about the 13-year-old who never started school, and you get the same answer: by that age, a Class 1 desk is no longer an option. Non-formal education is built for that child. The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, also passed laws on telemedicine, public health and women's shelters. Here is what was decided, what it means for families, and what has not been settled yet.

The Non-Formal Education Act targets 1.6 million children aged 10 to 16

The cabinet approved the Balochistan Non-Formal Education Act, 2025 on 9 October 2026. According to the government's briefing, it aims to bring about 1.6 million children aged 10 to 16 who are outside formal schooling into education through a new programme.

Non-formal education means shorter, condensed courses run outside the normal school timetable. A child who missed years of school can cover primary level faster and then rejoin regular classes or move to skills training. Adviser Shahid Rind, who briefed the media, said children who could not enrol in formal schools "for various reasons" will be given a way back into the system.

A cabinet approval of a bill is not yet a law in force. The Act now needs to be passed by the provincial assembly, then notified, before any centre can enrol a child under it.

Double-shift schools will use the same buildings twice a day

The cabinet also approved a policy to run double shifts in government schools. The idea is simple: one building, two sets of classes, including evening classes. That lets more children enrol without waiting years for new classrooms.

The government did not say how many schools will start double shifts, from when, or how extra teachers will be hired. Those details will matter more than the policy itself. A second shift with no second set of teachers is just a longer day for the same staff.

The cabinet also reconstituted the board of the Balochistan Education Foundation, which works with community and private schools in the province.

Health, women's shelters and Quetta city decisions

Education was one part of a long list. The other decisions that touch daily life are below.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to plan safe shelters for women at every divisional headquarters. The move of domicile and local certificates to NADRA is the decision most people will feel first, though it too has no start date yet.

What families can do now

Nothing new is open for enrolment yet. If your child is out of school today, the existing routes still work, and waiting for the new Act could cost another year.

1. Visit the nearest government primary or middle school and ask the head teacher about admission for an over-age child. Bring the child's B-Form if you have one.
2. Ask the District Education Officer's office whether a non-formal or accelerated learning centre already runs in your area.
3. If the child has no B-Form, register the birth at the union council and then apply for the B-Form at NADRA, because most schools ask for it at admission.
4. For an older student who is ready for college, look at provincial scholarships such as the BEEF out-of-province scholarship.
5. If a school refuses admission without a reason, raise it through the Chief Minister's AWAAZ complaint portal.

What is still missing from the plan

The briefing gave a target, not a timetable. Four things were not announced: the date the bill goes to the assembly, the number of non-formal centres, the budget, and who will teach in them. The 1.6 million figure is the government's own estimate of children aged 10 to 16 outside formal schools.

The double-shift policy has the same gap. A school list and start date are needed before a parent can plan around it. We will update this when the education department publishes either.

Common questions

What is the Balochistan Non-Formal Education Act?

It is a proposed provincial law, approved by the cabinet on 9 October 2026, to give children aged 10 to 16 who are out of school a condensed route back into education.

Is the Non-Formal Education Act in force?

Not yet. The cabinet approved it, but it must be passed by the Balochistan Assembly and notified before it applies.

How many children does the plan target?

About 1.6 million children aged 10 to 16, according to the government's briefing after the meeting.

Which schools will run double shifts?

The government has not published a list. The cabinet approved the policy, including evening classes, but not the schools or the start date.

Can I enrol my child in a non-formal centre today?

Not under the new Act. Ask your local school or the District Education Officer about existing admission and accelerated learning options instead.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 10 October 2026. All cabinet decisions, the 1.6 million figure and the 10 to 16 age range come from the Balochistan government's post-cabinet briefing by Adviser Shahid Rind on 9 October 2026, as released by the state news agency. We checked the Government of Balochistan website on 10 October 2026 and found no notification or text of the Act. Details on the double-shift schools, the budget and the assembly date were not given.