Daily Times

The education pilot Sindh Technical Assistance for Development through Enhanced Education Programme (STA DEEP), supported by the European Union and UNICEF, concluded on Thursday with over 55,000 children benefitting from this five-year programme. STA DEEP introduced decentralized approaches to school management, digital monitoring systems and professional development trainings for teachers to empower the School Education and Literacy Department (SELD) to become more equitable and responsive to student needs.

“We are pleased to announce the success of our school clustering model, which has significantly improved monitoring and strengthened the capacity of teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders.

Secretary School Education Zahid Ali Abassi expressed gratitude to the European Union and UNICEF for implementing this globally recognized system and said they eagerly anticipate continued collaboration with UNICEF and the EU to embark on this exciting journey toward achieving quality education.”

Traditionally, Sindh’s education department has functioned under a centralized model. STA DEEP provided technical support to SELD to implement the school clustering policy that decentralizes decision-making, budget allocation, and administrative responsibilities to local cluster school heads.

The programme successfully grouped 400 schools into 20 pilot clusters across 14 districts in Sindh. This model improves access to quality education and ensures that schools are better aligned with the needs of their students and communities.

“As we celebrate the conclusion of the European Union’s financial and technical support to the education sector in Sindh, it is time to reflect on how to expand and build upon the successes achieved during this partnership to improve the delivery of education services, at the local level,” said Jeroen Willems, Head of Cooperation, the European Union.

“The lessons learnt over the last five years should serve as a guiding framework towards a future where every boy and girl in Sindh has access to quality education.

The European Union remains committed to this vision and will continue to extend its support to improve the quality and access to education in Sindh and Pakistan through the Global Partnership for Education, to which the EU and its Member States remain the single largest contributor,” he added.

STA DEEP has prioritized modernizing teaching methodologies and continuous professional development for teachers. Each cluster school uses new teaching strategies that align with current pedagogical standards, fostering active learning and motivation among students and creating improved learning environments.

“This pilot has produced impressive results through its support to the Sindh Education and Literacy Department. It established an innovative model for decentralizing school systems by shifting authority from provincial to district level through policy reforms. UNICEF representative Abdullah Fadil said they expect the pilot to pave the way for wider implementation of reforms across all schools in Sindh, fostering long-term sustainability.

STA DEEP introduced a robust school monitoring system.

The programme implemented a portable biometric device to track teacher attendance alongside a comprehensive digital monitoring system that consolidates data on school infrastructure, student enrollment and staff attendance from over 40,000 schools. This helped to enhance accountability and improve the overall management of educational resources while supporting efforts to improve educational outcomes for students.