ISLAMABAD, AUG 02 (DNA) -Norway has extended its support to UNESCO Pakistan for improvement of girls’ lower secondary education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan.

In the ceremony at Royal Norwegian Embassy Islamabad Kjell-Gunnar Eriksen, Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, and Ms. Vibeke Jensen, UNESCO Representative/ Director signed the grant agreement for NOK 13.5 million to fund a three-year “Girls Lower Secondary Education Programme (GLSEP) in Pakistan”.

The programme will support the transition of girls from primary to lower secondary education primarily in Kohistan and Swat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province through local and institutional interventions targeting multiple stakeholders including education officials, community leaders, teachers and parents.

Ms. Vibeke Jensen appreciated the Norwegian government’s support to strengthen Government’s efforts for promotion of girls’ participation in quality education. She further highlighted the value of cooperation.

“I firmly believe the mutual cooperation will help addressing various issues of girls drop-out after completion of primary education; especially in remote, marginliased areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province“. Ms. Jensen said.

The Ambassador commended UNESCO’s contribution to girls’ education in Pakistan and termed the partnership with UNESCO Pakistan as a significant step forward towards achieving the shared goal of promotion of girls’ education in Pakistan.

Year 2018 successfully marked 50 years of development cooperation between Norway and Pakistan. In the field of education, Norway’s consistent and long-term programme support has made remarkable contributions to increasing both access and quality of education, with special focus on girls.

The Girls’ Lower Secondary Education Programme in Pakistan sets the stage for strategic investment in the education sector to improve girls’ access and transition to quality lower secondary education with a holistic approach for better learning opportunities.=DNA

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