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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has advised Pakistan to adopt India’s scheme ULLAS to fix its dysfunctional education system and impart quality training to its citizens, according to a media report.
The Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) was launched by the Government of India in July 2023 to help non-literates and adults, who missed out on formal schooling.
The Manila-based lender’s recommendation came in response to Pakistan’s request for financial support to improve its education system and impart education to all out-of-school children, The Express Tribune newspaper said.
The ADB recommended that the government adopt a strategic and multi-stakeholder consultative approach, drawing on international best practices, such as the government of India’s new centrally-sponsored scheme “ULLAS”, according to the lender.
The ADB’s recommendation came before a scheduled visit of ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to Pakistan on September 16.
A Planning Commission’s report for 2023 revealed that Pakistan’s education delivery system had become dysfunctional and all the 134 districts, barring Islamabad, were lagging on indicators ranging from learning outcomes to public financing, and people are entering into job markets either with no or low education.
Pakistan last week declared an education emergency on International Literacy Day to educate around 26 million out-of-school children in the country.
The ADB emphasised that the ULLAS scheme emphasises the need for both federal and provincial governments to collaborate urgently to enhance access to quality education and can offer insightful lessons of success and challenges when considering a similar vertical scheme in Pakistan.
What is ULLAS?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the new centrally-sponsored scheme ULLAS for the five-year period to cover all the aspects of “Education for All”.
ULLAS is an acronym for Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society, a scheme launched by the Government of India to help adults and non-literates who missed out on formal schooling. The scheme’s goals include:
- Providing access to education for those who previously lacked it
- Helping people develop essential skills
- Empowering adults aged 15 and above from all backgrounds
- Aligning with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
The scheme has five components: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills, Basic Education, Vocational Skills, and Continuing Education.
The scheme will be implemented through volunteerism through online mode. Trainings, orientations, workshops of volunteers will be organized through face-to-face mode. All material and resources shall be provided digitally for easy access to registered volunteers through easily accessible digital modes, viz, TV, radio, cell phone-based free/open-source Apps/portals, etc.
The financial outlay of ULLAS is Rs 1,037.90 crore, which includes Centre’s share of Rs 700 crore and state share of Rs 337.90 crore, respectively.
(With inputs from PTI)