The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has advised Pakistan to adopt India’s “Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society” (ULLAS) scheme to address the country’s struggling education system. The recommendation comes as Pakistan seeks financial support from the ADB to improve educational quality and access, particularly for out-of-school children.
The ULLAS scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focuses on foundational literacy and numeracy while also teaching critical life skills such as financial literacy, digital skills, and healthcare awareness. The ADB suggests that Pakistan could benefit from a similar approach by encouraging collaboration between federal and provincial governments to create a cohesive education system.
Pakistan’s education sector is in crisis, as highlighted by the Planning Commission’s 2023 District Education Performance Index. Of the country’s 134 districts, only Islamabad performed above average, with the rest categorized as low to medium performers. The education system is failing to produce graduates equipped for modern job markets, exacerbating the country’s human resource challenges. This has also created disparity among the Pakistani youth. UNESCO has emphasized that limited access to education remains a major challenge, with three out of four children in developing nations unable to read or understand a basic text by age 10. Additionally, there are 754 million illiterate adults worldwide, with women making up two-thirds of this group.
In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared an education emergency, stating that “For this purpose, we have declared an educational emergency across the country, launched an enrollment campaign for students, and initiated mid-day meals for children in schools.” The ADB is offering technical assistance to support national education reforms. This includes strategies for tackling access issues and learning poverty, with a focus on disadvantaged districts, particularly those with low Human Development Index (HDI) scores.
Additionally, the ADB is considering support for school meal programs in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, funded by its Japan Funds in Trust. The organization is also exploring the development of a registry for school buildings in high-risk disaster areas as part of a broader climate and disaster resilience initiative.
Currently, the ADB has two ongoing projects in Pakistan, with $175 million invested in education improvement in Punjab and Sindh. The ADB has also committed to additional funding for Punjab’s Secondary Education Improvement Programme and will provide further financial support for Pakistan’s Social Protection Development Project.
