The Punjab has the highest teacher presence in percentage terms than any of the 22 countries in which DFID provided financial support. Teacher absenteeism has been reduced from 20 percent to less than eight percent in a matter of less than two years. This was disclosed in a report of a think-tank called “Reform”. The report will be formally released in a lecture by an eminent British Educationist, Sir Michael Barber, at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) today.
World Bank Dr Jim Yong Kim, in his foreword for the report, appreciated the efforts of the leadership and commitment of the Punjab Government for achieving such palpable improvements.
The report indicated that in August 2011, only 22 percent of schools were being visited each month by district administration authorities to check on the situation, whereas in November 2012, 96.2 percent of all schools of the province were being visited by the authorities each month for spot checking and monitoring.