Islamabad: The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has sanctioned $194 million to bolster educational opportunities and water security in Balochistan through two significant projects.
According to World Bank, the GRADES-Balochistan project is focused on alleviating learning poverty in the province, while the Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project aims to tackle water security issues and enhance climate resilience. Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, emphasized the institution’s commitment to making strategic investments in infrastructure and human development to foster job creation, poverty alleviation, and stronger resilience in Balochistan.
The $100 million GRADES-Balochistan project is set to benefit 250,000 students. It seeks to boost enrollment and improve literacy and numeracy skills in early childhood and primary education. The project will implement several key interventions, such as enhancing school readiness through quality early childhood education, expanding school capacity via double shifts and public-private partnerships, providing safe transportation, and constructing climate-resilient classrooms. Furthermore, a comprehensive teacher professional development model will be introduced, offering continuous professional development programs for 5,000 teachers. Scholarships will also be awarded to 400 female students to pursue teacher pre-service education, aiming to cultivate a new cadre of educators who will serve as mentors and role models.
The GRADES project is devised to mitigate learning poverty, while the Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project is tailored to reduce child stunting by increasing access to safe water and sanitation services. These projects align with key outcome targets under the 10-year Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan.