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| US commits $100m for Pak education |
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Friday, December 01, 2006
Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON: Pakistan and the US on Thursday announced an elaborate programme to promote education at all levels in Pakistan with the US committing another $100 million in 2007 in addition to $200 million already provided.
A joint statement issued after an intensive dialogue at the State Department, led by Pakistan Education Minister Javed Ashraf Qazi and US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, detailed a seven-point programme to expand educational opportunities for the people of Pakistan, and create new prospects for economic growth and development.
The seven points announced on Thursday include: teacher training programmes; promotion of teacher, student and faculty exchanges; improvement of secondary-level science and math studies; administrative capacity-building, including school infrastructure; vocational/ workforce education and training to meet Pakistan’s labor needs; public/private sector partnerships; and the establishment of linkages between the higher education academic and research institutions of our two countries and training of Pakistani academics in US institutions.
Analysts said the US-Pakistan cooperation in the education sector was aimed at transforming the basic educational infrastructure, shifting the dependence of poor people from Madrassas and religious institutions to well equipped and modern schools.
The joint statement did not touch the controversial issue of curricula but sources said the subject was discussed at the ministerial level talks in detail and part of the $100 million being offered by the US would go towards improving the syllabi and curricula of religious schools.
Both Pakistan and the US reaffirmed their commitment to support the educational objectives of Pakistan as part of our substantial and growing bilateral relationship, and engaged in wide-ranging and productive discussions regarding the seven points of their programme.
Through the expansion of Pakistan-US cooperation in areas such as these - together with over $200 million disbursed in US educational assistance since 2002 and an additional $100 million for FY07, we hope together to expand educational opportunities for the people of Pakistan, and create new prospects for economic growth and development in accordance with the mutual commitment undertaken by Presidents Musharraf and Bush.
The US and Pakistan have agreed to:
— Collaborate closely regarding an education exchange for workforce development, relying on a partnership supported by the Department of State, the Pakistan Ministry of Education, Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, and the non-governmental sector. Towards this objective, a delegation of Pakistani education officials, including representatives of Pakistan’s provinces, will visit the United States in January 2007.
— Continue to promote student exchanges between our two countries as a means of fostering greater opportunity and understanding between the young peoples of our two countries.
— Continue and maintain this important area of cooperation ththrough the continuation of the bilateral Education Dialogue ththrough the visit of senior US officials to Pakistan in 2007.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
