ISLAMABAD – A UK-supported education initiative has helped more than 200,000 children in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa make significant progress in reading, numeracy and essential life skills, while bringing thousands of children back into the classroom.
More than 35,000 out-of-school children have returned to education through the partnership with the provincial governments, highlighting the impact of targeted interventions aimed at closing learning gaps.
The programme has produced particularly strong improvements in foundational literacy. Urdu reading proficiency jumped from 15% to 78%, while the proportion of children able to read English increased from 15% to 45%.
Numeracy skills also recorded a substantial improvement, with children demonstrating subtraction skills rising from 37% to 67%.
The gains were achieved through a learning-focused approach that assessed children according to their abilities and then provided targeted instruction. Teachers received coaching, while students’ progress was regularly assessed to identify areas requiring additional support.
The initiative has reached more than 500 public schools across Punjab and KP. In addition to bringing out-of-school children back into education, the programme provided remedial learning to 48,000 students.
Teaching capacity was also strengthened, with more than 5,500 educators and 250 Master Trainers trained under the initiative. Meanwhile, facilities were improved at 400 schools, creating better environments for children to learn.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, CMG OBE, said teachers were central to improving learning outcomes and noted that feedback on the approaches being introduced had been highly encouraging.
She highlighted the importance of cooperation among governments, schools and communities, particularly in helping children who had previously struggled with basic reading develop the confidence to read independently.
Muhammad Musa Ali Bokhari, CEO of the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority (PECTAA), said the results demonstrated how investment in foundational learning could translate into tangible improvements for children.
He stressed that children in Punjab should have the opportunity to master reading, writing and numeracy before moving beyond primary education.
In KP, Masood Ahmed, Special Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, said the programme’s achievements showed that focused investment in foundational learning could produce meaningful results for both children and communities.
He said the province remained committed to building on the progress and ensuring children develop the literacy and numeracy skills needed for lifelong learning.
The latest results offer a positive indication that targeted teaching, stronger teacher support and consistent monitoring can make a measurable difference in children’s learning outcomes, particularly for those who have fallen behind or missed out on schooling altogether.
