§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to Pakistan for the reform of its education system. [188364]
Mr. Gareth ThomasDFID has made a significant contribution to the reform of Pakistan's education system. During 2003–04, DFID spent £2.2 million on a number of initiatives, including support to the National Education Assessment System, a programme that assessed children's performance nationally and informed education policy. DFID also supported the North West Frontier Province Education Programme, the Northern Areas Education Programme, Sindh Primary Education Project and the Punjab Middle Schooling Project. These programmes have supported the Government of Pakistan to improve the decentralised management of human and financial resources for education, as well as strengthening teacher training for primary education, with particular emphasis on education for girls.