On Sunday, the World Bank Board approved a $500 million project to improve government schools’ learning and governance in six Indian states.

It said India has made significant strides in improving access to education across the country. Between 2004-05 and 2018-19, the number of children going to school increased from 219 million to 248 million, but the learning outcomes of students across all age groups remain below par.

The Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for State (STARS) program initiative will be introduced through Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the flagship center in Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan.

More than 52% of children in government-run schools in the six project states belong to vulnerable sections, such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minority communities, and the World Bank said its project will deliver a curriculum that keeps pace with the evolving needs of the job market.