‘Decade of Learning’ event marks progress on UK – Pakistan education reform efforts

Islamabad: The British High Commission Tuesday hosted Pakistan’s leading education experts, academics, and policy makers for a two-day event in Islamabad to mark the impact of ten years of UK support for education reform in Pakistan.

Titled ‘A Decade of Learning: Informing Education Policy and Practice,’ the event showcased the positive outcomes and lessons learnt through eight UK supported education programmes. The event also delivered sessions outlining other global education development initiatives taking place to highlight best practice, and facilitated discussions on interventions needed to further improve education standards in the next decade as well as ways to increase the number of girls accessing 12 years of education.

Pakistan has benefitted from the UK’s largest ever bilateral education portfolio, totalling more than £900m investment over a decade. This funding has helped increase the number of children in schools, improved teaching quality, upgraded teaching facilities and influenced uplifts in public sector spending. The structural reforms brought through UK interventions have benefited more than 15.6 million children including 8.1 million girls.

Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Federal Minister, Ahsan Iqbal was the chief guest at the inaugural session, which was chaired by British Chargé d’affaires, Andrew Dalgleish.

Chargé d’affaires, Andrew Dalgleish said: “A focus this year for the Commonwealth is on securing a better future for young people. I am therefore delighted that the UK and Pakistan, working in cooperation, have achieved such impressive results over the last ten years in improving education and therefore outcomes, particularly for girls. Quality education is the key that will unlock Pakistan’s full potential.”