The Ministry of Federal Education announced plans to convert 100 primary schools to solar energy within the next two months, an initiative aimed to harness renewable energy sources and lower the city’s carbon footprint.
“Insha Allah, this project will not only reduce electricity costs but also provide a clean and sustainable source of energy for our schools,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Federal Education.
The project, expected to be completed by the end of the year, involves installing solar panels on the rooftops of selected schools run by the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE). The solar energy system will meet the energy needs of each school.
According to the spokesperson, this initiative is projected to save the ministry millions of rupees in electricity costs annually, which will be redirected to improve educational facilities.
The FDE Islamabad, established in 1967 as an attached department of the Ministry of Education, provides educational facilities at various levels in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Now under the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, FDE oversees 432 Federal Government Educational Institutes in ICT, serving over 243,000 students from prep to post-graduate levels. It also manages more than 13,000 employees.
KP government’s solar energy projects
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has launched several solar energy projects to address electricity issues in the merged tribal districts. These projects include the successful conversion of 900 mosques and places of worship to solar energy, generating 1.73 MW of electricity daily and saving millions of rupees monthly.
Additionally, this year in Khyber district, 1,100 schools and 3,050 mosques will be converted to solar energy, with business centers connected to solar mini-grids.
Haji Iqbal Afridi, a member of the National Assembly from Khyber, emphasized the government’s commitment to fulfilling promises made to the residents of the merged tribal areas.
A recent meeting, chaired by Secretary E&P Nisar Ahmad Khan and attended by key officials, reviewed the progress of ongoing solarization projects in Khyber district. PD Engineer Asfand Yar Khan reported that three major solar energy projects, including a mini-grid in Bara bazaar, 1,100 schools, and 3,500 mosques, are nearing completion and will be finished by the end of this year.