WASHINGTON, March 24, 2011 – The World Bank today approved a package of assistance worth US$400 million to help the Government of Pakistan improve the access, quality, and relevance of education at every level of education. The projects are designed to improve conditions for teaching, learning, and research for enhanced access, quality and relevance at the tertiary level across the country while continuing to increase enrollment rates and reduce gender and rural-urban disparities in primary education in Punjab and Sindh Provinces.

“Pakistan’s transition to a middle-income country in the global knowledge economy of the 21st century will depend critically on the country’s intellectual and human capital,” said Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “To achieve this objective, Pakistan needs to upscale its entire education system so it can produce skilled, innovative and enterprising graduates, as well as research and innovation capacity, capable of promoting dynamic economic development.”