The Manila-based lender’s recommendation came in response to Pakistan’s request for financial support to improve its education system and provide education to all out-of-school children, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
The Government of India launched the Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) programme in July last year to help illiterate people and adults who did not have access to formal education.
The ADB recommends that the government adopt a strategic, multi-stakeholder consultative approach, drawing on international best practices such as the Indian government’s new centrally sponsored scheme, “ULLAS,” according to the lender.
The ADB noted that the ULLAS scheme highlights the need for federal and provincial governments to urgently collaborate to improve access to quality education and can offer insightful lessons on success and challenges when considering a similar vertical scheme in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the new five-year centrally sponsored ULLAS scheme to cover all aspects of “Education for All”.
The aim of the Indian scheme is to impart not only basic literacy and numeracy skills but also cover other components that are necessary for a 21st century citizen such as critical life skills including financial literacy, digital literacy, marketable skills, health care and awareness, child care and education, and family well-being.
The ADB recommendation came just days ahead of a scheduled visit to Pakistan by ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, who is set to meet Pakistani stakeholders on Monday.
A Planning Commission report found that Pakistan’s education delivery system had become dysfunctional and all 134 districts, excluding Islamabad, were lagging behind on indicators ranging from learning outcomes to public funding.
The findings of the Planning Commission’s District Education Performance Index Report 2023 underlined the human resource crisis in Pakistan, where people are entering the labour markets with little or no education.
Last week, Pakistan declared an education emergency on International Literacy Day to educate some 26 million out-of-school children in the country.
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