ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will offer $500,000 technical assistance grant to help prepare an Early Childhood Development Project.

ADB Country Director Marshuk Ali Shah and Economic Affairs Secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan on Monday signed an agreement for the grant.

The government of Japan is financing the grant from the Japan Special Fund.

According to an announcement, around 40 per cent of the children in the country are malnourished, with between 25 per cent and 30 per cent underweight at birth.

Hospital data indicate that the average pregnancy weight gain by mothers is 6kg, half the recommended gain.

Education remains inequitably distributed, with about 15 per cent of boys and 50 per cent of girls not entering primary school.