International Development Association (IDA) will provide $100 million for Fourth Punjab Education Development Policy Credit (PEDPC IV) and Punjab government will provide $850 million from their own resources.
In an update project study report, Tahseen Sayed, Lead Education Specialist the World Bank said that the objectives of the Phase II PESRP are to improve students' performance. This relates to learning outcomes and quality of education (especially in primary and elementary classes) improve school participation, retention and transition rates. This also will reduce gender and regional disparities (from grades 1-10) by providing continued financing for the government's medium term sector reforms. He said that this proposed operation would assist the province in increasing access to and improve quality of education from primary to secondary levels.
It will contribute to Pakistan's goal of moving closer to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to achievement of universal primary enrolment, improvements in primary completion rates, and improvements in gender parity. This proposed credit will contribute to improving student learning outcomes by focusing on quality of teaching and school performance. It will assist Punjab Government in the establishment of systems to undertake evaluations to measure the impact of the program interventions on learning outcomes, he added.
Tahseen Sayed further stated that the proposed Punjab Education Sector Development Policy Credit (PEDPC) for US $100 million would be the first of a series of three development policy credits to support the Government of Punjab's continuing Education Sector Reform Program (PESRP). This is now in its second phase of implementation. The government embarked upon an education sector reform program in 2003 that encompassed fiscal and fiduciary reforms, and sector reforms that focused on increasing access to and quality of basic education. The first phase of PESRP was supported by a programmatic series of three Sector Development Policy Credits (DPCs). PESRP has had a nation-wide impact. It has provided valuable lessons, and paved the way for similar reforms in other provinces of the country, he added.
He mentioned that Phase II PESRP builds on the lessons learned during implementation of the past three years. It carries forward the successful ongoing program interventions, and deepens the reform agenda. The Government has developed a medium term framework for the next phase of education reforms. It is maintaining the programs initiated under Phase I, and is extending coverage from primary to secondary education, complemented by deeper fiscal and fiduciary reforms. This proposed fourth credit, the first in a new DPC series, is expected to be approved in FY2007.
Following are the three pillars of the Government's reform program, to be supported by the proposed IDA credit:
-- To Improve fiscal sustainability and improve the fiduciary environment to: (i) ensure that public expenditure continues to be increased and effectively used for education at both provincial and district levels;
(ii) To strengthen the districts' financing capacity and ensure that adequate resources are transferred to districts to meet education needs;
(iii) to increase transparency of financial management and procurement processes and practices, and (iv) to strengthen the provincial and the district capacities to monitor financial flows.
(B) To Increase equitable access to education and improve quality and relevance of education. This forms the core reform agenda. Access agenda will focus on programs to: (i) reduce the high drop out rates at the pre-primary and primary level, especially for girls; (ii) To strengthen the elementary and secondary sector levels; and (iii) encourage the participation of private sector. The quality agenda will seek to: (i) To improve school performance and student learning outcomes; and (ii) improve quality of learning through better teaching practices, better textbooks and examination system.
(C) TO IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION SECTOR GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT:
(i) To strengthen the sector planning and policy of the provincial education department. (ii) To strengthen the capacity of the district education departments to improve service delivery; (iii) strengthen monitoring and evaluation; and;
(iv) To enhance community-based monitoring of school management.
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