Alternate Learning Pathways (ALP) Programme

  • A Advocacy Campaign/Project

I Inactive

Key Information

In 2018, with technical assistance from UNICEF and funding from the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Pakistan started developing alternate learning opportunities in a BID to help children who had dropped out, or never been to school, resume learning in three provinces -- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh – even if they are overage. This new programme came as part of the Government’s efforts to tackle the issue of the 23 million children aged between 5 to 16 who are out of school – half of their age group. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where there are more than two million of children out of school – two-thirds of them girls -- the Elementary and Secondary Education Department launched the Alternate Learning Pathways (ALP) programme. UNICEF supported the Department to develop a complete Service Delivery Mechanism for in the province and created a Project Implementing Unit in September 2020. So far, 90 ALP centres have been set up with JICA funding, out of a total of 380 centres in ten districts which have enabled nearly 11,000 students -- 7,000 girls – to resume learning. Teachers and ALP Facilitators ensure that children, especially girls, can not only study but also engage in co-curricular activities and adopt social behaviours essential for their healthy mental and physical growth. Following COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, students were taught about key preventive behaviours to reduce virus transmission as soon as the centres reopened.


Lead Implementing Government(s)

Pakistan

Location(s)

South Asia

Pakistan

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2018 - 2021

Partner(s)

Not applicable or unknown

Ministry Affiliation

Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training

COVID-19 Response

Adapted

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Primary completion
  • Primary enrollment
  • Secondary completion

Other

  • Remote Learning

Quality

  • School quality

Cross-cutting areas

  • COVID-19 Response
  • Gender equality
  • Other cultural practices

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Boys out of school, Girls out of school, Youth

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

All out of school

School Level

  • N/A

Other populations reached

  • Other community members - female
  • Other community members - male

Participants include

  • Other

Program Approaches Back to Top

Access to school

  • Alternative learning centers/mobile schools/home schools

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • Technical assistance/capacity building to civil society organizations or governments

Curriculum/learning

  • Remedial education/skills

Increased availability of learning materials

  • Textbooks (paper)

Policy/legal environment

  • Advocating changes to existing laws/policies

Teaching

  • Pre-service teacher training – pedagogy general
  • Teaching materials (e.g. lesson plans, curricula)

Tutoring/strengthening academic skills

  • Literacy - in the classroom
  • Numeracy - in the classroom

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Increased enrolment in primary school
  • Increased grade attainment
  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Increased school enrolment (general)
  • Reduced absenteeism

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Improved health - other
  • Increased advocacy/civic engagement
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms

Additional Information Back to Top

Primary Contact

Ms. Chiho Ohashi
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
chihoohashi@jica-aqal.org