ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide technical assistance of around $0.2 million to support the preparation of a feasibility report to evaluate various education sector-focused asset leasing models for procuring school equipment, infrastructure-facilities and services by public and private sector schools in Pakistan.

The technical assistance will also develop a program implementation plan and operations model with appropriate private sector participation, revealed the official documents. Pakistan has recorded significant improvements in overall school participation and educational attainment.

However, it faces severe challenges in providing high-quality and adequate education to eligible children, with its primary gross enrolment ratio increasing from 49.1 per cent in 1980 to 94.0 per cent in 2019. Schools lack basic infrastructure facilities and services, including electricity, toilets, and information and communication technology labs for students and teachers, creating an unfavourable learning and teaching environment.

Schools also suffer from a high student to teacher ratio (number of students per teacher) and stands at 44 for primary schools across the country.

Despite improvements made in existing schools and establishment of new schools, poor overall facilities and lack of basic facilities continue to remain as the primary reason for high student dropouts. Of the total school buildings in Pakistan, 55 per cent have fallen into disrepair and are considered unsafe or of low quality. Only 52 per cent of public schools have boundary walls, electricity, drinking water and toilets, while 11 per cent of public schools have none of these.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022