ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Wednesday notified the establishment of the Pakistan Foundational Learning (PFL) Hub, which will work for a sustainable mechanism through which federal and provincial ministries would improve foundational learning as a national priority.

The education ministry established the PFL Hub in collaboration with the United Kingdom`s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the World Bank. The formal launching of the initiative will be held today (Thursday) at the ministry.

Interim Education Minister Madad Ali Sindhi, education experts and representatives of provinces will attend thelaunching ceremony.

The PFL is also tasked to drive systemic improvements in foundational learning in Pakistan. The PFL will become a `keystone` in Pakistan`s Learning Movement, working with all partners to enable quality learning opportunities for all by providing evidence-based strategies and support to policymakers across Pakistan to make tangible improvements to foundational learning.

According to its terms of reference (TORs), the PFL will work to map support and disseminate foundationallearning assessment data and policy actions across federal and provincial governments.

It will also support provinces in designing and implementing a plan to align and integrate the components of their education systems to improve foundational learning.

Highlighting its task, the notification states: `It will support implementation of [a] reading hour at the school level, including training and monitoring. It will also work to inform education departments with diagnosis of founda-tionallearningchallenges and evidenceinformed policy situations and shall provide quality research, advice, and advocacy.

The PFL will also provide schools with high-quality teaching and learning materials for grades 1 to 3, foundational learning tools, research and development, and will train head teachers and teachers in reading hours. `The PFL Hub shall conduct monitoring and evaluation ofreadinghoursatfederalandprovincial levels.

Quality education.

When contacted, Federal Secretary of Education Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry said that PFL Hub will play an important role in bringing improvement in the education system. He said that under this initiative, the main focus will be making the learning base of students strong with quality education.

He said that the PFL will be a key contribution to this effort, working with all provinces and key partners to drive learning improvements across the country.The federal secretary said the PFL will be staffed by a small team. It will have a director/consultant to be supplied by the World Bank and a senior research associate, engagement senior associate and communication senior associate will be provided by FDCO. The ministry will depute two officials for this initiative and the senior joint secretary will be the focal person.

A school teacher commenting on the PFL Hub appreciated the ministry and its international partners. He said that this initiative will help the government to bring some improvement at least in the initial three classes.

`Unfortunately, our education standards are far behind many countries while the country has over 22 million out-ofschool children, which is the world`s highest figure.

Like school education, the country`s higher education sector is also not up to the mark as many PhD holders who should be job providers, could be seen protesting for getting jobs,` the school teacher said, adding that more initiatives like PFL are needed.