Karachi, Pakistan – August 28, 2025: The Citizens Foundation (TCF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency – Advancing Quality Alternative Learning (JICA-AQAL) have signed a Technical Letter of Understanding (LoU) to address the critical challenge of Pakistan’s 26 million out-of-school children (OOSC). The partnership will particularly focus on providing access to education for girls who have been deprived of formal schooling due to social and economic barriers.
Under this collaboration, TCF and JICA will work together to provide quality alternative learning opportunities across Pakistan. The initiative will include:
- Accelerated Learning Programmes (ALP): Helping children re-enter the formal education system.
- Vocational and technical skills development: Offering middle-tech programmes to enhance livelihood opportunities.
- Adult literacy programmes: Promoting basic literacy among communities.
- Integrated Learning and Skills (ILS): Combining learning with employability-focused training for sustainable livelihoods.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abid Gill, Deputy Chief Advisor, JICA-AQAL, highlighted the need for a broader view of education: “Many people think education is limited to formal schooling, but it encompasses much more. Non-formal education, digital learning, distance education, and other elements are also part of the educational ecosystem. By making our education system more flexible, we can bring more children into the fold of learning.”
Zia Akhtar Abbas, CEO of TCF, underlined the scale of the challenge: “Education in Pakistan is such a challenging proposition that we need multiple TCFs to tackle this problem. Non-formal education gives these children a second chance, and once given the opportunity, they show resilience, eagerness, and a strong commitment to learning.”
Adding to this, Syed Nayab Shah, Vice President Literacy and Community Development at TCF, said: “Through non-formal education, we are reaching children who were never enrolled in schools. As our capacity grows, we will ensure that these students receive more opportunities to learn and build brighter futures.”
Through this partnership, JICA will provide technical expertise to TCF to strengthen its non-formal education model, ensuring impactful and scalable results nationwide. Together, the organisations aim to contribute significantly towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education.
The LoU was signed by Zia Akhtar Abbas (CEO, TCF) and Abid Gill (Deputy Chief Advisor, JICA-AQAL), in the presence of Syed Nayab Shah (VP Literacy and Community Development, TCF), Habibullah Khaskheli (Provincial Coordinator Sindh, JICA-AQAL), Rehan Shafiq (Head of Aagahi, TCF), and Ahmed Kamal Butt (Head of Development, TCF).
