Access to Education for One Million Out-Of-School Children (OOSC) in Pakistan

Context and Issue

Despite legal guarantees ensuring education for every child in Pakistan, the country grapples with one of the world's highest populations of out-of-school children (OOSC). Numerous challenges, such as armed conflict, socio-cultural barriers, parental attitudes, poverty, and natural disasters, hinder efforts toward universal primary education. Pakistan faces a significant risk of failing to achieve SDG and EFA targets, particularly in provinces and regions where this project operates. The estimated 22.6 million OOSC in Pakistan, including 5.03 million who were never enrolled or dropped out at the primary level, underscore the urgency of addressing this issue.

Solution

Alight, formerly known as the American Refugee Committee (ARC), aims to enroll 1,050,000 OOSC in selected districts across Pakistan into formal and non-formal school settings over three years. Aligned with the Government of Pakistan's National Plan of Action, the project focuses on enrolling OOSC in existing formal schools, providing additional classroom space, establishing new non-formal schools, and offering targeted incentives. Approximately 810,000 OOSC are targeted for enrollment in existing formal schools, 80,000 in existing non-formal Basic Education programs, and 160,000 in new non-formal schools in target districts.

Impact

Despite challenges, Alight exceeded its Length of Project (LoP) enrollment target by enrolling 51,549 children. The project's retention rate surpassed expectations, with 86.63% of enrolled OOSC retained in formal and non-formal schooling by June 2021, exceeding the target by 33.28%. Notably, the retention rate for girls closely matched that of boys, indicating positive familial acceptance of girls' education. Flexibility in project adaptation, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed Alight to address challenges effectively. Strategic adjustments focused resources on interventions that tackled economic barriers to access, prioritizing community mobilization and stipend support for mainstream OOSC enrollment.

Alight's success in OOSC enrollment and retention underscores the importance of strong partnerships with private and public co-funding partners. Collaborative efforts ensured ongoing mobilization and enrollment, even during school closures due to COVID-19. Investments in literacy mobilizers, infrastructure improvements, and engagement with local communities contributed to the project's achievements. Despite facing policy changes and funding shifts, Alight's adaptability and strategic adjustments enabled sustained progress toward addressing Pakistan's education crisis.