Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $ 75 million for Sindh Secondary Education Improvement Project (SSEIP), which will be implemented in six years from July 2019 to June 2025. According to official documents, the project will be implemented in the entire province of Sindh.
Economic Affairs Division of federal government and Planning and Development department of Sindh government will jointly handle the scheme. Total cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 11.533 billion, which in dollar comes to $ 82.5 million. Sindh government will contribute $ 7.5 million whereas ADB will finance rest of the cost, which comes to $ 75 million.
The SSEIP will be implemented across Sindh; however, the largest component of the project is construction of 160 secondary school blocks which will be implemented in ten selected districts of southern Sindh: Sujawal, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Thatta, Badin, Sanghar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Matiari, Mirpur Khas and Tando Allah Yar.
The key objective of the project is to improve teaching and learning and reform the examination system across Sindh province. Major component of the project include construction of new secondary school blocks and their operation under Education Management Organisation (EMO) program. Also, improvement of teaching capacity in five key subjects and strengthening of secondary education examination system is included in it.
The SSEIP will also contribute in attaining one of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. It will also add help to achieve SDG pertaining to gender equality and empower all women and girls.
For implementation, a Project Steering Committee (PSC) will be established to guide the executing agency and monitor overall project performance and outcome.
The PSC will be chaired by the chairman, Planning and Development Board, Sindh, and will be composed of the Secretaries for School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), Planning and Development, Finance, Universities and Boards. The PIU Director (PD) and others will be identified by Sindh government.
The PSC will be responsible for guidance in policy development and overall project implementation, guidance in identification of investment activities based on prioritised targets, ensure coordination with relevant government agencies, stakeholders and monitor achievements of project outcomes.
Official documents indicted that education sector in Sindh continues to face significant challenges in terms of access to and quality of education. At least 28 percent of the 22.8 million out-of-school children in Pakistan are in Sindh. Lack of secondary schools is one of the major impediments in increase in enrolments especially in rural areas where people have fewer affordable private educational alternatives.
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