World Bank approves $194m for education, water projects in Balochistan

June 25, 2025 (MLN): The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved $194 million in financing for two major projects aimed at improving education and water security in Balochistan.

The initiatives include the Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services in Balochistan (GRADES-Balochistan) project and the Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project (BWSPIP).

According to Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, the GRADES-Balochistan project is designed to reduce learning poverty in the province, while the BWSPIP will address water security challenges and enhance climate resilience.

He reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to supporting Balochistan through investments in infrastructure and human development to foster job creation, poverty reduction, and stronger resilience.

The GRADES-Balochistan project, backed by $100m, will support 250,000 students by boosting enrollment and improving early childhood and primary education in literacy and numeracy, as per the press release issued by the World Bank.

Key interventions include quality early childhood education, expanding school capacity through double shifts and public-private partnerships, providing safe transport, building climate-resilient classrooms, and implementing a comprehensive teacher training model.

Around 5,000 teachers will benefit from continuous professional development, and 400 female students will receive scholarships to pursue pre-service teacher education.

Project Team Leader Inga Afanasieva emphasized that the initiative is strategically important for addressing gaps in access and quality of pre-primary and primary education.

She noted the project’s focus on strengthening educational infrastructure and improving disaster resilience and environmental sustainability.

The BWSPIP, with an allocation of $94 million, aims to improve living conditions for smallholder and tenant farmers in the Nari, Talli, and Lehri river basins of the Kachi Plain, and to enhance water supply in Quetta.

The project is expected to benefit 500,000 people with better access to water services and more than 80,000 individuals through climate-resilient infrastructure.

It will support flood protection, improve access to productive water use, and upgrade water supply service delivery, contributing to agricultural productivity and economic stability.

Carolina Dominguez Torres, Task Team Leader for the project, stated that the initiative aligns with Pakistan’s Resilient Recovery Framework and aims to bring long-term benefits to farming communities and urban residents, while also empowering women in water management at the community level.

The GRADES and BWSPIP projects also contribute to the 10-year Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan, targeting reductions in learning poverty and child stunting through improved education and access to safe water and sanitation.