World Bank approves $47.9m grant to strengthen primary education in Pakistan

August 25, 2025 (MLN): The World Bank has approved a $47.9 million grant to strengthen primary education in Punjab, with a focus on expanding early childhood education, bringing out of school children back into classrooms and enhancing teacher support.

According to press release issued, the funding comes from the Global Partnership for Education Fund and is designed to improve both girls’ and boys’ participation in pre-primary and primary levels.

The initiative will also address education sector challenges linked to climate change and emergencies.

The project is expected to benefit around four million children, including 80,000 out of school children, over 3m enrolled in schools under the School Education Department (SED), 850,000 in the non-formal sector, and 140,000 differently-abled children studying in Special Education Department (SpED) institutions.

In addition, more than 100,000 teachers, school leaders, parents and community members will gain from professional training and awareness programs.

“The project is aligned with Punjab’s broader education reform agenda, which aims to create a more effective, accountable and inclusive education system,” said Izza Farrakh, World Bank Task Team Leader. “It will support the government’s efforts to improve governance, management, and sectoral capacity.”

Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, described the initiative as a “crucial step towards addressing learning poverty and ensuring equitable access to quality education across Punjab.”

The declaration follows the conclusion of the 12th and final review mission of the Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP) project last month, jointly conducted by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and World Bank teams.

Pakistan has been a World Bank member since 1950, during which the group has provided over $48.3 billion in assistance. Its International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested around $13bn since 1956 in sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, healthcare and agribusiness.

The current World Bank portfolio in Pakistan comprises 54 projects with total commitments of $15.7bn.

In June this year, the Bank also approved $100m for the “Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services in Balochistan” (GRADES-Balochistan) project, targeting around 250,000 students to improve enrolment and literacy rates in the province.

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