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UNICEF
PSDF and UNICEF.
PSDF has partnered with United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) under Generation Unlimited, as its sole implementing partner in Pakistan, for the execution of ‘Non-Formal Education to Job Placement’ program for out-of-school adolescents (OOSA) of Punjab. Approximately 15.7 million adolescents between the ages of 10-19 are currently out of school in Pakistan.
COVID-19 has further exacerbated the OOSA crises, as many more children are expected to drop out of school and never return, thereby increasing the pool of OOSA across the country.
The pilot programme plans to provide a tailored solution; with regards to age, gender and education attainment levels for the economically disadvantaged OOSA of Punjab and equip them with foundational, transferable, digital, job-specific, demand driven and market relevant skills along with linkages to age-appropriate income generation opportunities.
This program aims to present a unique solution as the current programs available in Pakistan are singularly geared either towards Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) or basic skills development. Neither a focus on OOSA, nor program integration is common in Pakistan and thus the model would fill a major gap with regards to both, economic and education opportunities.
The program will be rolled out in six districts of Punjab – Lahore, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur. It is envisioned to be rolled out in three phases. Phase 1: Evidence Generation and Program Design (Action-Oriented Research) in years 2020 -2022. Phase 2: Provincial Roll-out. Phase 3: National Rollout.
Partnership with PSDF.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) signed a partnership agreement in December 2020, to initiate a research and development project in support of adolescent and youth education, skills development and job placement as part of the ‘Generation Unlimited’ partnership in Pakistan.
This agreement will help in researching, designing and pre-testing an accelerated and cost-effective ‘Non-Formal Education to Job Placement’ model to help improve the skills and employability of the most vulnerable and economically, socially disadvantaged adolescents and youth. It targets adolescents and young people who have never attended formal education or who dropped out of the formal education system without achieving primary school competencies, and who do not have access to education and economic opportunities.
How it works.
PSDF works with UNICEF, Federal and Provincial governments, partners from civil society organizations and the private sector to design and pre-test the ‘Non-Formal Education to Job Placement’ model in Punjab.
The program’s conceptual framework is split into three main components:
Accelerated Learning Programs
Accelerated Learning Programs (ALP) will comprise of customized courses embedded with foundational, digital and transferable skills to equip out-of-school adolescents with primary school competencies (Grade 5 competency level).
Skills Training Programs
Skills Training Programs will impart adolescents with skills in age-appropriate and non-hazardous trades coupled with digital, behavioural, mindset skills as well as entrepreneurial skills
Labour Market Linkages
Labour Market Linkages will create opportunities of access for adolescents who have successfully graduated from both the Accelerated Learning and Skills Training components of the program to enhance their access to sustainable income generating opportunities.
Age Timeline
