The World Bank has approved a $47.9 million grant for Pakistan, funded by the Global Partnership for Education Fund. The grant aims to improve the participation of both girls and boys at the pre-primary and primary levels of education in Punjab.
In a statement, the World Bank said this new support is expected to improve learning outcomes at the primary level and strengthen remedial learning support in elementary schools. The “Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services and System Transformation in Punjab Project” will expand early childhood education, re-enroll out-of-school children, strengthen support for teachers, and improve the education sector’s ability to respond to climate change and emergencies.
According to Bolormaa Amgaabazar, the World Bank’s Country Director for Pakistan, “This project represents a crucial step towards addressing learning poverty and ensuring equitable access to quality education across Punjab.” The project aims to benefit over four million children, including 80,000 out-of-school children, more than three million children in the School Education Department (SED), around 850,000 children in the non-formal sector, and 140,000 children in the Special Education Department (SpED).
Additionally, over 100,000 teachers, school leaders, parents, and community members will benefit from professional development and awareness campaigns. The project is aligned with the Government of Punjab’s broader education reform agenda, which seeks to create a more effective, accountable, and inclusive education system.
