Nongovernment Organizations’ Role in Providing Quality School Education in Pakistan: The Experiences of CARE Foundation

Abstract

Nongovernment organizations (NGOs) have played a crucial role in Pakistan, since the country’s independence in 1947 to assist in the establishment of their new government, mostly concentrating on rehabilitation and basic services. Pakistan is one of the countries with the world’s highest out-of-school population, with more girls than boys out of school. NGOs have taken an active role in supporting the education sector. Among them is the CARE Foundation, whose mission is to provide quality and marketable education to all, building schools and hiring teachers and using the curriculum of the best private school in the country, as well as adopting government schools in both urban and rural areas. While CARE Foundation’s practices are easy to replicate or be scaled up, strong partnerships with government and private sector have been crucial in ensuring success. Such collaborations are important in achieving policy coherence, promoting productive cost-sharing or efficient pooling of resources, and improving accountability among stakeholders.