The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recommended that Pakistan adopt India’s ULLAS program to reform its struggling education system and provide quality training to its citizens, according to a media report.

The ADB suggests that Pakistan employ a strategic, multi-stakeholder approach, incorporating international best practices like India’s ULLAS scheme, which is supported by the central government, the report stated (REUTERS). This advice came in response to Pakistan’s request for financial assistance to improve education and address the issue of millions of out-of-school children.

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Launched in July last year, India’s ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) aims to help non-literate adults and those who missed formal schooling. The scheme highlights skill-based education in areas like financial literacy, digital skills, healthcare, child care, and family welfare, in addition to foundational literacy and numeracy.

The ADB stressed that a similar initiative in Pakistan would require collaboration between federal and provincial governments to increase access to quality education. It also noted that India’s experiences with ULLAS could offer valuable insights for Pakistan’s own education reform efforts.

The ADB’s recommendation comes just ahead of a visit by ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to Pakistan, where he will meet with local stakeholders.

A recent report from Pakistan’s Planning Commission revealed that the country’s education system is in crisis, with all 134 districts, excluding Islamabad, performing poorly on indicators like learning outcomes and public funding. This aligns with Pakistan’s declaration of an education emergency to address the 26 million out-of-school children on International Literacy Day last week.