A US$47.9 million grant, financed by the Global Partnership for Education Fund,has been granted by the World Bank to improve primary education in Punjab. The aim of this project is to improve the enrolment of male and female students in the pre-primary and primary grades, enhance learning opportunities and provide remedial services to the elementary school children throughout the province.
The project, titled, the “Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services and System Transformation in Punjab Project” will scale up early childhood programs, get out-of-school kids back to school, introduce sustained teacher training, including related to climate change and delivery of relief measures in emergency situations.
Through the durability of early-stage learning and overcoming educational gaps, the project aims to impact a total of more than 4 million children. This comprises approximately 80,000 out-of-school children, over 3 million that work in the public schools, 850,000 in non-formal set ups, and 140,000 non-formal students with disability studying in Special Education Department schools. Capacity-building and awareness programs to 100,000 and more educators and school leaders, and parents and communities will also benefit.
The project supports the Punjab governments reform agenda of a more accountable, inclusive and effective education system, Izza Farrakh, World Bank Task Team Leader said. It will lead to an improvement in governance, increase co-ordination among departments, empowerment of schools, and community partnerships towards sustainable outcomes.
This in-depth attention to access and quality is part of what makes the initiative create even stronger human capital as well as provide equitable access to the most vulnerable groups. This educational assistance to primary education in Punjab will enhance learning outcomes, long-term growth and make a stronger education system.
