Press Releases

Signing ceremony

On February 10, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed grant agreements with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Islamabad to provide grant aid of up to 1,734.8 million yen for the following two projects.

(1) The Project for Upgrading Primary Girls' Schools into Elementary Schools in Rural Areas of Sindh (grant amount: 1,686 million yen)
(2) The Project for Improvement of Equipment for Exhibition and Conservation of the Taxila Museum (grant amount: 48.8 million yen)

Details for the projects are provided below.

(1) The Project for Upgrading Primary Girls' Schools into Elementary Schools in Rural Areas of Sindh
<Objective and Summary>
In Pakistan, approximately 22.8 million children, accounting for more than 40% of the school-aged population (5-16 years old), are out of school. This is the second-highest number of any country in the world. In particular, the net enrollment rate for middle education (grades 6-8) is 49% (boys 53%, girls 45%), and improving the enrollment rate, especially for girls, is a critical issue. One of the reasons for this low enrollment rate is the lack of schools in the country’s rural areas. In Pakistan, children traditionally attend schools within their local community and there is a cultural reluctance to send girls, in particular, outside of the community.

This project aims to improve access to girls' middle-school education by constructing school facilities in rural areas of Sindh Province, where the middle-school net enrollment rate remains as low as 34% (boys 37%, girls 30%). This project is expected to improve the school enrollment rate as well as gender equality in the target areas, contributing to SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Goals 4 (Quality education) and 5 (Gender equality).

[Basic project information]

Country	The Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Project title	The Project for Upgrading Primary Girls' Schools into Elementary Schools in Rural Areas of Sindh
Planned implementation period	49 months, including detailed design work and the bidding period
Executing agency	School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh
Target region, facilities	Sukkur, Larkana, Naushahro and Khairpur Districts, and Karachi Division, Sindh Province
Specific project details (provisional)	1 Facilities Construction of middle schools at 20 target sites (60 classrooms in total as well as school principals’ offices, multi-purpose classrooms, and warehouses and teachers’ rooms in each school), reconstruction of primary schools (17 classrooms in total), annexed facilities (4-6 toilet stalls in each school), and school furniture 2 Consulting services Detailed design work, bidding assistance, construction/procurement supervision, and workshops and community meetings for school staff/teachers, parents/guardians, and community representatives to promote girls’ enrollment in middle-school education

(2) The Project for Improvement of Equipment for Exhibition and Conservation of the Taxila Museum

<Objective and Summary>
The Taxila Museum is located in the middle of ancient Gandharan Buddhist ruins in Taxila, Pakistan, a UNESCO World Heritage site with Gandharan arts of great historical and cultural value. The museum preserves and exhibits the precious artifacts excavated in this area. As of now, only approximately 30% of the ruins at this site has been excavated, and the excavation is still under progress. However, despite this low percentage, there are insufficient facilities and equipment to display the increasing number of excavated works in the museum, as well as to prevent these artifacts from deteriorating.

This project aims to promote understanding of the history and cultural heritage of Gandharan Buddhism among domestic and overseas visitors, and will do so by providing the Taxila Museum with the necessary equipment for improving its capacity for the conservation and exhibition of historical artifacts excavated from the Gandharan ruins. This project also aims to enrich cultural education for youths, and to facilitate cultural conservation, thereby contributing to SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Goal 11 (Sustainable cities and communities).

[Basic project information]

Country	The Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Project title	The Project for Improvement of Equipment for Exhibition and Conservation of the Taxila Museum
Planned implementation period	24 months, including detailed design work and the bidding period
Executing agency	Tourism Department, Government of the Punjab
Target region, facilities	Taxila City, Punjab Province
Specific project details (provisional)	●Equipment Equipment for preservation of the excavated objects/collections (3D printers, forklifts, etc.), for preservation of historic buildings (air conditioners, dehumidifiers, etc.), and for promotion of understanding (LED lighting, 3D virtual reconstruction software, etc.) at the 1) museum, 2) library and public hall, and 3) excavated artifacts storage facilities on the premises of the Taxila Museum