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The has been welcomed by the country鈥檚 education minister, who has vowed to do everything he can to ensure children can learn in safety.

Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman said A World at School鈥檚 15-point plan 鈥渄eserves accolades鈥� and would help to 鈥渆nsure substantive improvement for security of the schools鈥�.

The initiative 鈥� launched on February 17 鈥� is backed fully by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Gordon Brown, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education. They agreed to work together on a joint effort for the security and safety of schoolchildren and to appeal to donor governments, foundations and the business sector to finance the plan.

It was devised in the wake of the in December and years of terrorist attacks on schools, students and teachers.

Mr Baligh ur Rehman, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, said: 鈥淧akistan has faced myriad issues of safety and security in schools. The schools are at the frontline in the war against terror since Pakistan has faced fatal attacks on educational institutions and demonstrated express resolve and resilience against the extremists.

鈥淒espite the destruction of more than 1000 schools in Pakistan, our children are still in school and the government and people of Pakistan are committed to ensure education for each child.鈥�

Mr Baligh ur Rehman said that 鈥� as well as the 鈥済igantic challenges of access, equity, quality and governance鈥� 鈥撀爐he safety of school students was paramount. He said security was being beefed up and advocacy campaigns launched to 鈥渃ombat the menace of terrorism and evil鈥�.

But he admitted a lot more had to be done and said the Safe Schools Initiative could have 鈥渁 huge impact on the lives of millions of children鈥�. He said it dovetailed best practices from around the world with lessons learned in Pakistan.