MoU siged with USAID for enhancing reading skills of children

MoU signed between government and USAID for development, effectiveness and quality of education in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The government and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to spend $165 million to improve reading skills of children in Pakistan.

Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and USAID signed a MoU for development, effectiveness and quality of education in Pakistan. As per the MoU, signed by Additional Secretary Education Ministry Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik and representative of USAID Donald Larry Sampler, $165 million will be spent all over the country to improve reading skills of the children.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Muhammad Balighur Rehman said that improving enrollment of children in schools and quality education are the main objectives of the government. “We have very cost effective plans to get all children into schools and I am sure that we will soon get the requisite funding from our government, Pakistani philanthropists and international donors.”

Expressing his government’s concern over the fact that as many as 16 million children are out school, Rehman said that these young people not only need to be educated but also need to be trained in order to earn better livelihood.

The minister revealed that federal government along with all provinces have finalised a ‘National Plan of Action’ which will become part of government’s post 2015 agenda to achieve Millennium Development Goals.