Moalims

The second round of 'Ilm Ideas' programme, the core feature of UK government's investment in the education sector of Pakistan, was launched here on Saturday. Over the next four years, 'Ilm Ideas 2' will identify and help scale innovations and improve education outcomes for hundreds of thousands of children across Pakistan.

Barbara Payne, DFID's Senior Education Advisor, officially launched the Ilm Ideas 2 programme at a local government college which was attended by a wide range of participants including donor agencies, government representatives, development sector representatives, education innovators, and investors interested in the education sector. The "Pakistan Education Innovation Fund" (Ilm Ideas 2), has been designed with the specific objectives of increased access and improved learning outcomes for a minimum of 250,000 Pakistani children. Ilm Ideas 2 will focus on bringing to scale, proven education innovations, and establishing a permanent, countrywide, innovations community that will continue finding and supporting new education innovations beyond the life of this programme.

Speakers said Pakistan was facing an education emergency with 12 million children, out of primary school, inadequate levels of learning for those in school, and endemic systemic issues that remain unresolved. Stakeholders agreed that innovative solutions are required to ensure that more children and young people in Pakistan benefit from quality education. The UK government is committed to addressing Pakistan's education emergency as one of its key priorities, which is evident from its large investment in the Pakistan education sector. A core feature of this investment is the Pakistan Innovation Fund, established by The Department for International Development (DFID). The fund provides a platform for the generation, piloting, and scaling-up of innovative solutions that address critical education challenges.

Speaking at the launch, Payne said "Ilm 2 represents a step change in education innovation by focusing on improving learning, finding solutions that work on a large scale and putting systems in place to support innovation beyond the life of this project." 'Ilm Ideas 2' Team Leader Shahida Saleem said llm Ideas 2 was about solutions. "We believe that problems can be solved and that solutions do exist that can improve education outcomes for millions of children in Pakistan," adding there was a vibrant and growing community interested in education innovation and through the IIm Ideas 2 programme, we will be connecting with them, as well as connecting them to each other."

Presenting an outline of the programme, Shahida said the programme would identify and provide support to scale-up of innovative solutions that address critical education challenges in the four broad areas of enrolment, learning, retention and systems. Ilm Ideas 2 will also partner with incubators to help develop early stage innovations and create a pipeline of solutions that can be scaled up in the future, and help ensure support for innovation in education when the Ilm Ideas 2 programme, ends."

News Reference