ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: The Sindh government is seeking a loan of $300 million from the World Bank for its second education sector project aimed at increasing child school participation and student achievement at the primary and secondary levels.

The International Development Association will provide the soft loan for the $3,200 million project which is likely to be approved by the World Bank’s executive board in December. The provincial government will provide $2,900 million from its own resources.

The $3200 million Second Sindh Education Sector Reform Programme will cover all the districts prone to natural disasters.

In some areas, geological conditions are favourable to the contamination of groundwater by arsenic and fluoride — dangerous pollutants that may cause serious and irreversible health problems.

A significant number of government schools in those areas use groundwater for drinking.

According to the World Bank, SERP-II represents an ‘evolutionary step’ by the government.