بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Blome at the Closing Ceremony of U.S.-Funded Sindh Basic Education Program Government High School Damba Village Karachi AMBASSADOR BLOME: On behalf of the government and people of the United States of America, I am delighted to join you today at Government High School Damba Village as we celebrate ten years of partnership through the Sindh Basic Education Program.  Ten years ago, the United States government, through USAID, invested $159 million in a suite of programs with the goal of transforming basic education in Sindh and today, I’m proud to say we’ve achieved that goal. Together, we built 106 schools, increased access to education for tens of thousands of out-of-school children, especially girls. The 106 schools provide quality education to more than 80,000 boys and girls. What I hear today these aren’t just new schools, they are bigger schools. They serve primary and secondary students, they eliminate the transition from primary to secondary school, when many students are most likely to drop out. They have modern facilities and we built these schools to last. Not only did the new, climate-resilient schools survive the 2022 floods, they became community safe havens. In addition to serving as classrooms, those new facilities serve as platforms for parent and community engagement – mobilizing parents to increase enrollment, raising awareness about the value of education, and holding school leaders accountable. We have also helped create a new model for school management, establishing groundbreaking public-private partnerships to manage schools. The model is so successful that the Government of Sindh is independently funding public-private partnerships in 210 schools and at teacher training institutes. And we have made learning a priority. Ten years ago, many assumed that if schools had books, the students must be reading them. That's not always true. Through research, teacher training, and material development, we helped to get more kids reading. Today, as a result of the Sindh Basic Education Program, 80,000 students from disadvantaged communities in ten districts are getting a high-quality education to help them reach their full potential. So, to the students, here today, – stay in school, study hard, pursue your dreams, and give back to your communities. To the teachers – thank you for your work every day to help students learn and grow. To the parents and community – we share your hope for a better future for the children of Pakistan. To government and school leaders – thank you for your partnership, your leadership, and your dedication. Pakistan cannot achieve its development goals without high-quality education for all. To all who made these successes possible, thank you. I look forward to our continued partnership to expand education for all. Thank you.