Partnership for Education
January 2009
Nearly 50 million Pakistanis (half the country's adult population) cannot read. Only 60 percent of Pakistani children complete 10 years of school and only 10 percent complete 12 years. Since 2002, USAID's education program has invested over $404 million to reform and revitalize Pakistan's education system. Currently, more than 600,000 children and 60,000 teachers benefit from USAID-funded education programs.
Improving Access through Infrastructure and Facilities
USAID increases access to education for Pakistanis by rehabilitating inadequate and damaged school facilities and building new ones, especially schools for girls. USAID has provided water and sanitation facilities to schools in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as well as constructing and equipping science and computer laboratories for teachers' colleges in several cities. USAID is also rehabilitating 60 schools, which will increase enrollment by 30 percent, benefiting 18,000 students, nationwide. Building upon these successes, USAID will fund the construction and rehabilitation of additional schools. To ensure that more Pakistani children attend school and graduate, USAID is expanding a school-feeding program in the most food insecure areas of Pakistan.
Improving Education Quality
To improve teacher performance and skills development, USAID's projects are upgrading the qualifications of current teachers and developing a comprehensive program for pre-service teacher training. Working closely with the Ministry of Education (MOE), USAID is developing national standards for accreditation and improving coordination among teacher training institutions. Together with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), USAID is working to institutionalize pre-service teacher education reforms. In other programs, USAID addresses students’ classroom learning needs through child-centered teaching methods, curriculum pacing guides, and reforms for better math and science learning.
Providing Opportunities and Promoting Collaboration
To develop a cadre of experts and leaders in the areas of civil service, education, civil society and business, USAID invests heavily in Pakistan's higher education institutions, merit and needs-based scholarships and international exchanges. The merit-and needs-based scholarship programs in conjunction with the HEC provide thousands of needy students with scholarships for degree programs at Pakistani universities. USAID also funds the largest Fulbright program in the world for Pakistanis, providing hundreds of student opportunities to obtain Masters and PhD degrees in the United States. USAID works with the HEC to develop a National Student Financial Aid System, critical to ensuring student access to sources of funding including grants, work study and loans.
Assisting higher education insitutions to better educate students, USAID supports a university partnership program between California State University and Pakistan's Fatima Jinnah Women University and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University. In Lahore, USAID is working with Forman Christian College (FCC) to develop a four-year Bachelor's degree program and to strengthen its programs in basic science and information technology.
Together with the Ministry of Science and Technology and HEC, USAID supports the Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperative Program, implemented by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, to provide grants that support collaboration between Pakistani and U.S. scientists, engineers and health care specialists. This will promote Pakistani expertise and development in agriculture, water, health, and environmental sciences.
Ongoing Activities
Links to Learning: Education Support to Pakistan (ED-LINKS)
Period: October 2007 - September 2012
Funding: $90,000,000
Implementing Partner: American Institutes for Research
Interactive Teaching and Learning Program
Period: February 2006 - February 2009
Funding: $7,800,000
Implementing Partner: Children’s Global Network
Pre-Service Teacher Education Program (Pre-STEP)
Period: September 2008 - September 2013
Funding: $75,000,000
Implementing Partner: Academy for Educational Development
Strengthening Teacher Education in Pakistan (STEP)
Period: October 2005 – June 2009
Funding: $3,353,218
Implementing Partner: UNESCO
Merit- and Needs-Based Scholarship Program, Phase I and II
Period: July 2004 – onward
Funding: $6,800,000 + $28,000,000
Implementing Partner: Higher Education Commission (HEC)
USAID-Fulbright Scholarship Program
Period: September 2004 - September 2009
Funding: $93,000,000 Implementing
Partner: U.S. Educational Foundation Pakistan
Higher Education Commission – Financial Aid Development Program (HEC-FAD)
Period: September 2008 - September 2010
Funding: $4,000,000 Implementing
Partner: Academy for Educational Development
College Improvement Program
Period: September 2004 - September 2009
Funding: $5,000,000
Implementing Partner: Forman Christian College, Lahore
US-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperative Program
Period: June 2005 - December 2011
Funding: $7,500,000
Implementing Partner: National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
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Primary school students learning in their new classroom equipped with new furniture and educational materials by USAID | Photo: Mehdi Ali Khan, USAID/Pakistan
Accomplishments
2002-2008 Budget: $404.1M
2009 Budget: $163.5M (expected)
Improving Access, Facilities
- In 2008, opened 30 tent schools for 2,000 conflict-affected displaced students from FATA's Bajaur Agency
- Rehabilitating 60 schools, increasing school enrollment by 30%, benefiting 18,000 students
Improving Education Quality
- Supported 15 universities and 75 teacher colleges improving academic standards for teacher education
- Upgraded 4 GOP Colleges of Teacher Education
- Trained 74 master trainers & 405 education managers, improving administration & academic supervision
- Improved quality of education in 22 districts, including 6,000 schools, benefiting 600,000 students & 60,000 teachers
Primary school students participating in a new learning curriculum, less dependent on rote learning and encouraging critical-thinking skills | Photo: CRI
Accomplishments
Improving Education Quality
- In underserved areas of Balochistan & Sindh, improved teaching skills of 42% of GOP primary school teachers
- 399 schools now emphasizing critical-thinking curriculums, including the training of 3,770 teachers in interactive teaching & learning skills
Providing Opportunities, Promoting Collaboration
- Since 2004, awarded nearly 1,000 merit- and needs-based scholarships, including 178 to females, & 32 special scholarships to students from earthquake-affected areas
- Supported 11 Pakistani universities to provide scholarships for Master's & Bachelor's Programs to students from low-income families
- Since 2005, provided 716 Pakistanis with opportunities to study in the U.S., including 554 Master's & Ph.D. students through the Fulbright Program
- Funded Forman Christian College to provide 366 merit- & needs- based scholarships in 2007-2008 academic year
- Since 2006, established nearly 99 higher education partnerships, & trained 300 scientists
- Funded 38 science and technology collaboration grants between Pakistan and U.S. scientists, including 3 in the earthquake–affected areas, worth more than $2M
USAID-sponsored Math Day at Boys' primary school | Photo: CRI
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