Merit and needs-based scholarship program (MNBSP) : evaluation report

Pakistan"s poor performance in education persists despite a vast body of research that demonstrates a clear link between education and poverty alleviation, attainment of long-term development goals, and sustainable economic growth. In other words, the relative lack of educational opportunities in Pakistan does more than just minimize job opportunities; its poor performance in education is a key contributor to the nation"s ongoing political and social instability. In 2004 the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Pakistan"s Higher Education Commission (HEC) developed the Merit and Needs-based Scholarship Program (MNBSP.) The objectives of MNBSP are: (1) to enable the academically qualified, yet financially needy, Pakistani students to continue university studies in selected private and public universities of Pakistan in the fields of agriculture and business administration; and (2) to enhance the institutional capacity of the HEC of the GOP and local public and private sector universities in designing and implementing need and merit based scholarship projects. The purpose of this evaluation of MNBSP is to provide USAID/Pakistan with an independent performance-cum-process evaluation to help improve the performance of MNBSP and its contribution to USAID/Pakistan"s development objectives. The scope of the evaluation was defined through twelve specific questions. After review, the evaluators make five key recommendations: (1) in consultation with HEC, reconsider the fields of study and the allocation of scholarships across supported fields of study in future scholarship programs; (2) increase outreach to women; (3) consider modifying eligibility criteria for women with a more robust definition of "remote/vulnerable"; (4) identify and resolve causes of delayed payments to recipients; and (5) ensure that the scholarship covers all education expenses of the students. (Excerpt, modified)