ISLAMABAD, June 18: Federal education minister Zobaida Jalal has started lobbying to acquire funds for the education for all (EFA) programme by writing letters to the leaders of G7 and G8.

The minister will ask for Fast Track Financing (FTF) from the developed countries, said an official statement issued here on Tuesday.

The G7 in its communique issued on June 15, had pledged to support an increase in the grants, to enhance the effectiveness of IDA in helping the poorest and debt vulnerable countries to combat AIDS and support the social sectors specially education.

The World Bank’s education action plan endorses the expeditious implementation of a plan focused on quality education and measurable results.

The group of developed countries also pledged that each of the G7 members would work to support the education for all goals with countries that had credible education plans and strong policy commitment in place.

They urged other donor governments and multilateral development banks to join them in their cause.

The coming G8 summit in Kananaskis scheduled for June 25-26, will focus on four areas relating to promoting universal primary education, fighting the spread of AIDS, bridging the digital divide and debt reduction.

The G8 summit will also consider additional resources for the EFA.

This would be a historic opportunity for changing the destiny of the world’s poor countries.

The World Bank has named about 18 countries for their inclusion in the FTF scheme, which would deliver additional resources to the countries having sound educational policies. Out of these 18 recommended countries, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Congo are categorized as ‘intensified analytical support,’ if they fulfil the conditions of having a full Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), appropriate reform environment, strong domestic commitment to primary education and a sound policy frame work.

Ms Jalal has written letters to the Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, and to the leaders of the G8 to upgrade the status of Pakistan from ‘intensified analytical support’ to positive ‘fast track financing (FTF)’ for the education for all.

She wrote to the leaders that Pakistan had worked hard to qualify for the FTF.

“For Pakistan, education has become the anchor of the government’s economic revival strategy, embedded with sector wide approach and the national PRSP. The strategy also seeks to improve the effectiveness of social services through civil service reforms, and enhanced transparency and accountability in the use of public resources.

“It also accelerates the implementation of the education sector reforms action plan and the new national health policy,” she said.

The minister said political will had been secured at the highest level and Pakistan embarked on a programme of ESR action plan 2001-2005, an outcome of intensive consultations with all stakeholders.

The minister appreciated the World Bank’s recommendations and said the FTF approach would create the incentives for reforms within the developing countries, and it would help build the strength of education ministers within their governments.

“We are committed to reforms necessary to get every child into school, and hope that G8 would provide the financial backing that the EFA action plan urgently needs,” she added.