ADB Urges Pakistan to Embrace India's ULLAS Scheme for Educational Reform

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recommended that Pakistan adopt India's ULLAS scheme to rectify its struggling education system. The ADB emphasized that collaborative efforts between federal and provincial governments could bolster access to quality education. This recommendation aligns with an upcoming visit from ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to Pakistan.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has urged Pakistan to adopt India's ULLAS scheme to improve its dysfunctional education system, according to The Express Tribune. The Manila-based lender suggested this in response to Pakistan's request for financial support to educate its out-of-school children.

Launched by the Indian government last July, ULLAS aims to provide lifelong learning opportunities, including foundational literacy and essential 21st-century skills such as financial and digital literacy. ADB emphasized that the scheme's strategic and collaborative approach could serve as a valuable model for Pakistan to emulate.

Just days before ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa's scheduled visit to Pakistan, the lender highlighted the urgency of educational reform. The Planning Commission's recent report revealed that Pakistan's education system is lagging in all 134 districts except Islamabad. To address this, Pakistan has declared an education emergency to educate 26 million out-of-school children.

(With inputs from agencies.)