In recent years, the global landscape of foreign aid has undergone a significant shift, with major international donors scaling back development assistance to low- and middle-income countries. One of the most alarming outcomes of this trend is the reduction in education funding from agencies like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) — a development that has placed Pakistan’s already fragile education sector under severe strain.
🇵🇰 Why Pakistan’s Education System Can’t Afford to Lose Aid
Pakistan, with an estimated 26 million out-of-school children (UNICEF, 2023), ranks among the countries with the highest number of children not receiving formal education. The situation is particularly dire in rural and underserved areas where public education infrastructure remains weak and access to quality learning opportunities is scarce.
USAID has historically been a critical supporter of educational reform and access in Pakistan. However, recent funding suspensions and cutbacks have left several initiatives in limbo.
What Has Been Affected?
1. Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Programme
In early 2025, USAID halted its financial support for over 530 university students, many from flood-affected and marginalized areas, who relied on the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Programme to pursue higher education (Daily Pakistan, 2025).
These scholarships were not only a lifeline for bright students from low-income families but also a strategic investment in Pakistan’s human capital. The sudden withdrawal has not only jeopardized individual academic futures but has also undermined national development goals.
2. School Infrastructure and Literacy Programs
USAID-supported programs, such as the Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) and the Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP), aimed to improve reading outcomes and build or rehabilitate hundreds of schools, particularly in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. With reduced funding, progress on teacher training, curriculum enhancement, and school construction has slowed significantly.
For example, under PRP, more than 1.7 million children were reached with reading programs and over 27,000 teachers were trained between 2013 and 2020. Continuation of this impact is now in question (USAID Pakistan, 2022).
3. Girls’ Education Initiatives
Girls in Pakistan, especially in tribal and remote districts, continue to face cultural, infrastructural, and economic barriers to education. Programs previously funded by USAID to support gender equity in education — including community mobilization and incentives for girls’ enrollment — have been severely curtailed.
According to The Diplomat (2025), the funding cuts may disproportionately affect girls, as dedicated resources for female-friendly school environments, hygiene facilities, and transportation subsidies are some of the first to be withdrawn (The Diplomat, 2025).
A Global Trend with Local Consequences
The decline in development assistance for education is not unique to Pakistan. Globally, education aid has stagnated. According to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report (2023), education accounts for only 9.7% of total aid, falling short of the 15% benchmark promised by international donors. The consequences are most devastating in countries where public investment in education is already limited.
A Call to Action
If left unaddressed, the erosion of international support could cause a generational setback in learning and opportunity for millions of Pakistani children. This crisis calls for:
- Renewed commitment from donors to prioritize education funding.
- Stronger partnerships between development agencies and local governments.
- Innovative financing models, including public-private partnerships, to fill the gap.
- Greater investment in community-led solutions to ensure resilience against donor volatility.
Conclusion
Education is not a luxury; it is a human right and a catalyst for social change and economic growth. For countries like Pakistan, foreign aid from partners such as USAID has long been a cornerstone in building equitable and inclusive education systems. Abrupt funding cuts not only imperil past gains but risk denying future generations their most basic promise: a chance to learn and lead.