Pakistan's Minister for Education and Professional Training, Shafqat Mahmood, has called for an increase in the funding for education worldwide so that nations move forward. He was speaking at an international conference, which was organized on the margins of 73rd session of the UN General Assembly by the former British prime minister, Gordon Brown. Others who spoke at the conference included Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina Wajid, President of Malawi, Arthur Peter Mutharika, World Bank President Jim Yong King and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
The conference's theme was "Unlocking Human Potential through International Finance Facility for Education."
Shafqat Mahmood said that getting children into schools was a top priority of the Pakistani government and Prime Minister Imran Khan. Every effort will be made in this regard through increased funding, but Pakistan would welcome participation by the international development partners. He also emphasized that financing should be "on budget" using country systems to ensure that there is no fragmented financing of education activities.
Later, Shafqat Mahmood also held meetings with Dr Mary Kamel Kawar, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan and Ahmed Hussen, Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
An official said that as a result of this conference more international assistance would be available to Pakistan to meet its education goals, as education is an investment for the future.