The UNESCO-UNICEF joint regional policy review project was launched in September 2006 with the aim to support the countries of Asia-Pacific region in meeting the first goal of Education For All (EFA) on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) by identifying, documenting and sharing good practices as well as constraints and challenges in early…

The development of special education in Pakistan is examined, including the present "National Policy for Special Education." Development issues and constraints are discussed, such as motives for having a special education system, comparison and contrast between Western and Asian approaches, and appropriate deployment of scarce resources.…

A recent shift in allocation of public resources away from elementary and secondary education to higher education in Pakistan is criticized as not cost-effective, unjustified, inefficient, and inappropriate public policy. Issues of equity and privatization and the impact of the current student loan system are considered. (Author/MSE)

In response to limited central government resources available for education, Pakistan has attempted to decentralize educational financing and management. Lifting prohibitions on private schools has brought dramatic increases in enrollments. Preliminary evidence shows improved average quality of schooling, but effects on internal efficiency or…

This document summarizes projects and and research activities for the year 1975-1976 in five areas: (1) international communication, (2) health communication; (3) communication technology and public policy; (4) communication and media; and (5) information needs and uses. Specific activities discussed pertain to educational development and…

The place education has been assigned in the national development programs of 10 nations is discussed, the problems that these countries have encountered in managing education are examined, and the measures adopted to solve educational problems are assessed. Included are the following papers: (1) "The Nature of National Development…

The feasibility of creating independent research and education centers that deal with public policy issues in developing countries is assessed. Countries that were surveyed include Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, South Korea, Philippines, Pakistan, and Nepal. For each country, a report describes the social and political climate…

The "EFA (Education For All) Global Monitoring Report 2006" estimates that about 100 million children of primary school age, 55 percent of them girls, are not enrolled in primary school. UNESCO Bangkok, the Consortium for Street Children and Childhope Asia initiated the "Promotion of Improved Learning Opportunities for Street…

In 2000, approximately 877 million adults worldwide were illiterate and 113 million children did not attend school. More than two-thirds of those individuals lived in East and South Asia, and two-thirds were females. Functional illiteracy remains high in developed and developing nations alike. The reasons include weak training in how to teach…