Qian Tang, assistant secretary general (education) of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), called on the minister of state for education training and standards in higher education here on Monday and discussed modalities for operationalisation of Malala Fund for girls’ right to education.
The meeting was attended by Ahmed Baksh Lehri, secretary education training and standards in higher education, Hayashikawa (UNESCO Paris), Dr Kozue Kay Nagata, (Director UNESCO Pakistan), Roshan Chitrakar (UNESCO Pakistan).
The representatives proposed that improvement in the quality of education of girls should be the central focus of activities undertaken by UNESCO from this fund. It was also proposed that a few model school/technical and vocational training centres for girls can be established from this fund. –Staff Reporter
The minister urged the need for attracting more donors globally for Malala Fund geared towards girls education. He also emphasised the need for reduction in operational and transactional costs. The fund world be used in line with current government policy on education called (national action plan) which has been finalised by the federal government and has been sent to provinces FATA, GB etc and their response is awaited. Eighty per cent of the fund would be used for formal education and 20 per cent would be used to support non-formal education like BECS and NCHD. The areas for that fund have, been identified as Balochistan, Interior Sindh, Southern Punjab, KPK, FATA, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.–Staff Reporter
 The minister termed Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in Pakistan as areas of preference for spending the global component of the fund.
A special committee (also called quality and assurance committee) would implement the plan. UNESCO, government of Pakistan and selected civil society members would be given representation in the committee.