Youth education a top priority in meeting between World Bank and Pakistan’s Federal Education Minister

Government pledges to address the education crisis as 22.8 million children remain out of school

NEWS DESK

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain met with a senior delegation from the World Bank on Wednesday to discuss education and the issue of Out of School Children (OOSC) in Pakistan. The delegation was led by the Vice President of the World Bank Human Development Group, Ms. Mamta Murthi, and included Chief Economist Mr. Norbert Shady and Senior Education Specialist Ms. Izza Farrakh.

During the meeting, Minister Rana Tanveer acknowledged the important work being done by the World Bank in Pakistan and highlighted the government’s focus on education, particularly in addressing the high number of OOSC in the country. Currently, there are 22.8 million children out of school in Pakistan.

The Minister emphasized the importance of increasing girls’ education and enhancing financing for girls’ scholarships. He also discussed the need to strengthen the National Education Data and Information System to make better and more informed policies.

The Minister highlighted the government’s priority of promoting skills, technical, and vocational education for the youth population, and mentioned the importance of increasing internet connectivity to enable distance-learning opportunities for all. He also emphasized the need to streamline Madrassas and religious education centers that offer regular educational opportunities to students nationally.

The Vice President of the World Bank Human Development Group, Ms. Mamta Murthi, acknowledged the role of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in the implementation of ongoing World Bank-funded projects. She thanked the Minister for his support and assured him of the World Bank’s continued cooperation.

The issue of OOSC was a key focus of the meeting, as Minister Rana Tanveer highlighted the need for accurate and relevant data to design effective strategies. He also mentioned the damage caused to education by natural disasters, including floods, and the need for a resilient education system in the face of such emergencies.

Overall, the meeting emphasized the importance of working together to ensure progress in the education sector, particularly for the youth population, who are the future of Pakistan.