World Bank approves $400m for education in Pakistan

The World Bank (WB) approved a USD 400 million assistance for the education sector of southern Pakistan's Sindh province on Friday. The assistance is provided under the Second Sindh Education Sector Reform Program (SERP II). This program will support the efforts of Sindh government in establishing new schools; the quality of education provided and measure student achievement by improving sector governance. The education sector will lead to an improvement by accountability and strengthening administrative systems. The Country Director of WB for Pakistan Rachid Benmessaoud, said, "Improving school participation is a priority in Sindh as the government has underlined this further by passing the Sindh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act," media reported. The finance is credited by the International Development Association (IDA), and will be on standard IDA blend terms, with a maturity of 25 years, including a grace period of 5 years.