World Bank Approves $194 Million for Education and Water Security Projects in Balochistan

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has sanctioned $194 million for a pair of initiatives designed to improve educational prospects for children and strengthen water security within Balochistan.

According to Najy Binhassine, the World Bank’s Country Director for Pakistan, the GRADES-Balochistan project is geared towards diminishing learning deficiencies in the province. Concurrently, the Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project will tackle water security concerns and bolster resilience against climate change.

Binhassine stated that the World Bank is dedicated to aiding Balochistan through targeted investments in infrastructure and human capital development. These efforts are intended to establish a foundation for increased job opportunities, reduced poverty levels, and enhanced overall resilience.

GRADES-Balochistan Project

The Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services in Balochistan (GRADES-Balochistan) project, valued at $100 million, is set to benefit 250,000 students. Its primary focus involves boosting enrollment rates and elevating literacy and numeracy proficiencies during early childhood and at the primary education level.

Key actions encompass enhancing school preparedness via superior early childhood education, augmenting school capacity through the implementation of double shifts and public-private partnerships, ensuring secure transportation options, erecting climate-resilient classrooms, and deploying an all-encompassing teacher professional development framework.

The project will offer assistance to 5,000 educators through ongoing professional enrichment programs.

Moreover, 400 scholarships will be granted to female students pursuing pre-service teacher education. This initiative aims to cultivate a fresh cohort of educators poised to serve as mentors and role models.

Statements on GRADES-Balochistan

Inga Afanasieva, the team leader for the GRADES-Balochistan project, emphasized its strategic importance, noting that it addresses vital gaps in accessibility to and the quality of pre-primary and primary education within the province.

Afanasieva added that the project is designed not only to improve educational infrastructure but also to bolster resilience against disasters and promote environmental sustainability.

She affirmed that these endeavors underscore the World Bank’s dedication to fostering a safer and more sustainable future for Balochistan’s children.

Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project (BWSPIP)

The Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project (BWSPIP), with a budget of $94 million, is geared toward enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder and tenant farmers situated in the Nari, Talli, and Lehri river basins within the Kachi Plain. It also seeks to enhance water supply services throughout Quetta.

The project anticipates benefiting 500,000 individuals by improving their access to essential water supply services. Furthermore, it intends to benefit over 80,000 individuals through the provision of climate-resilient infrastructure.

Central components of the project include strengthening flood defenses, broadening access to water for productive applications, and refining water supply service distribution.

The initiative will assist in shielding communities from climate-related hazards and creating new economic avenues by amplifying the accessibility of irrigation water, which is pivotal for agricultural output and economic steadiness.

Statements on BWSPIP

Carolina Dominguez Torres, the task team leader for the BWSPIP project, stated that the project aligns with Pakistan’s Resilient Recovery Framework and is poised to yield substantial advantages for the province’s farming communities, as well as Quetta’s inhabitants.

Torres also noted that it will empower women in water management at the community level.

She asserted that through targeted investments, improved water management strategies, and community participation, the project is committed to generating enduring advantages for Balochistan’s sustainable advancement.

The GRADES project aims to alleviate learning poverty, while the BWSPIP project is structured to curtail child stunting by expanding access to secure water and sanitation amenities. Both of these goals represent essential benchmarks within the 10-year Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan.