UK pledges up to £130m for girls’ education in Pakistan

Programme to support governments of Punjab, K-P in providing better, equitable education

The United Kingdom on Saturday announced a bilateral programme worth £130 million to support girls’ education in Pakistan that will impact nearly 17 million children.

Launched in May, the Prime Minister’s Girls’ Education Action Plan sets out practical steps to deliver the UK’s global objectives on girls’ education. Titled Girls and Out of School: Action for Learning (GOAL), the programme will support the governments of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to improve outcomes for girls and the marginalised.

GOAL aims to support around 250,000 marginalised children to enrol and stay in school in underdeveloped regions and support 150,000 girls to read by the age of 10.

The initiative will improve learning outcomes for at least 7.8 million girls by strengthening provincial education systems to improve the quality and equity of education.

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The programme will also directly support children to access education and learning in several Commonwealth countries and introduce changes to make education inclusive.

“No nation can reach its full potential without 50% of its population. Getting girls into school is a key driver of growth. We want to give girls awaaz and marzi [voice and choice] and unleash the potential of the next generation,” said UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner.

Pakistan houses 9.2% of the 138 million girls out of school, with the poorest rural regions most affected by low enrollment and high drop-out rates.