Islamabad, August 25, 2025: The World Bank (WB) has approved a $47.9 million grant for Pakistan, financed through the Global Partnership for Education Fund, to enhance access and learning outcomes in pre-primary and primary education across Punjab.
According to a WB statement, the initiative — Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services and System Transformation in Punjab Project — aims to expand early childhood education, re-enroll out-of-school children, strengthen teacher support, and improve the education sector’s resilience to climate change and emergencies.
“This project represents a crucial step towards addressing learning poverty and ensuring equitable access to quality education across Punjab,” said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. By reinforcing foundational learning, strengthening system capacity, and promoting behavioural change, she added, the project would help drive long-term human capital development and economic growth.
The project is expected to benefit more than four million children — including 80,000 out-of-school children, over three million enrolled in School Education Department (SED) schools, about 850,000 in non-formal education, and 140,000 differently-abled students in Special Education Department (SpED) schools. In addition, more than 100,000 teachers, school leaders, parents, and community members will benefit through professional training and awareness initiatives.
WB Task Team Leader Izza Farrakh said the project is aligned with the Punjab government’s broader education reform agenda, which seeks to build a more effective, accountable, and inclusive system. “It will support governance, management, and coordination across the education sector, empower schools, and strengthen partnerships with communities to ensure sustainable results,” she noted.
The World Bank underlined that the project contributes to its Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Pakistan, focused on poverty reduction, equitable opportunities, and resilience for vulnerable populations.
