ISLAMABAD, March 16 (ABC): The Sindh government has trained 21,500 teachers under its flagship education reform programme to improve the quality of teaching at the primary school level.
The initiative is part of the Sindh Early Learning Enhancement through Classroom Transformation (SELECT) project. The programme aims to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy among primary school students across the province.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project has a total cost of $167.21 million. It is scheduled for completion in April 2026. However, authorities have already requested an extension until April 2027 to continue the programme’s activities.
Under the initiative, teachers have completed several Continuous Professional Development (CPD) cycles. These training sessions focus on modern teaching techniques, better classroom engagement, and improved learning outcomes for young students.
Experts consider teacher training a key component of the project. Early-grade instruction plays a crucial role in shaping students’ long-term academic performance. Therefore, improving teaching practices at the primary level can significantly strengthen the overall education system.
The programme is currently being implemented in 12 districts of Sindh. It covers schools in both rural and urban areas so that children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds can benefit from improved teaching methods.
In addition to teacher training, the project has distributed 467,385 sets of teaching and learning materials (TLMs) among Grade 1 to Grade 5 students and teachers. These materials are designed to make classroom learning more interactive and effective.
According to the project document, the SELECT programme has so far reached 10,993 schools and benefited around 741,591 students across the targeted districts.
Moreover, the initiative includes infrastructure improvements. Under this component, 295 primary schools are being upgraded to elementary and secondary levels. Construction work has already started in these institutions.
Of these facilities, 190 schools are expected to be ready for handover by April 2026. The remaining 105 schools are scheduled for completion by October 2026.
Furthermore, the programme includes baseline assessments through the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA). These evaluations help measure students’ learning levels and monitor progress during the project period.
Overall, the initiative is expected to strengthen primary education in Sindh and help reduce dropout rates in later stages of schooling as the programme moves toward completion in April 2026.