ISLAMABAD, May 1: The World Bank says that Sindh has improved education services and between 2009 and 2011 primary net enrolment increased by 450,000 children — from 50 per cent to 53 per cent — under the Sindh Education Sector Reforms Programme (SERP).

The ratio of female-male primary net enrolment in rural areas rose to 72 per cent from 61 per cent. More than 1,500 schools were rehabilitated and 13,000 new contract teachers were hired on merit, says the bank’s project completion report.

The Sindh Education Sector Project (SEP), a result-based investment initiative, has supported the SERP since 2009.

The World Bank, through the International Development Association, teamed up with the provincial government to improve education services.

The SERP, a comprehensive medium-term programme, focuses on improving governance and accountability to enhance school participation, reduce gender and urban-rural disparities in school participation, increase grade progression, and improve the measurement of student learning.

A public-private partnership brought about an enrolment increase of 29 percentage points in poor rural communities and significantly improved student performance at a cost of only $3 per student per year, the report says.

Additionally, 295 primary schools have been created through public-private partnership in disadvantaged rural communities.

Entrepreneurs receive per-student subsidies conditional on free schooling provision and student test scores. School enrolment in these communities is 92 per cent compared to 63 per cent in other communities.