Cost Effectiveness in Primary Education: A Study of Pakistan

The Government of Pakistan prepared the second Perspective Plan in 1987- 88 for the next ftfteen years to set the long-term social and economic policy framework. The Plan identifted that the long-term objectives could only be achieved if the education, skills, nutrition and health of the people were improved. These objectives have recently been operationalised in the donor supported Social Action Programme (SAP). However, there is general recognition of the resource constraint within which these objectives are to be achieved, especially given the low priority that has been attached traditionally to allocations to the social sectors. Therefore, the p{ogramme envisages the expansion of primary infrastructure through an accelerated school construction programme using cost -effective approaches to delivery including need-based criteria for school location and changes in the pattern of allocation of funds among sector inputs.