Malala Yousafzai urges Pakistan to boost education funding

Education activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to increase education expenditure in Pakistan to at least 4% of the national GDP. Currently, the country allocates less than 2% of its GDP to education, falling short of Malala's recommended target. Emphasizing the need for greater investment in education, Malala highlighted the progress made in girls' education over the past decade but stressed the importance of continued efforts to support girls' education.

Malala's foundation, the Malala Fund, has contributed $15 million towards education promotion in Pakistan. Through collaborations with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, the foundation has reached over 4,500 high schools and engaged with nearly 500,000 girls through various initiatives, including the STEAM partnership. Additionally, the foundation supports civil society and education experts in enhancing teaching practices, digital education, and girls' leadership development.

Malala urged the new government to prioritize girls' education within its first 100 days in office. She expressed willingness to collaborate with the government to elevate girls' education as a key agenda. Malala congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz on his appointment and extended her best wishes for his tenure.