NEW DELHI, INDIA -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $10 million financing package with Schoolnet India Limited (SIL) to improve learning outcomes for 4.5 million students by scaling up digital learning infrastructure in 30,000 government schools across India.

"The transaction is ADB's first private sector financing for a digital education project in India," said ADB Country Director for India Mio Oka. "Our investment will drive digital transformation in education and promote high-quality, inclusive learning. By supporting private sector providers like SIL, ADB aims to drive innovation in digital education solutions and deepen the market for scalable, high-quality school infrastructure across India."

Despite rapid growth in India's education sector, digital infrastructure gaps remain significant. Only 26% of K-12 (kindergarten through secondary) schools in India have computer laboratories, and 29% have smart classrooms.

The Schoolnet Digital Learning Project will address these gaps in digital access and improve learning outcomes in line with India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by strengthening access to technology-enabled learning.

The project will install computer laboratories in at least 1,000 schools, set up 58,000 digital classrooms in government schools, and train at least 56,000 teachers on digital pedagogy. It will also deliver learning materials to strengthen inclusive, safe, and equitable digital teaching practices.

The financing package includes a $5 million loan from the Leading Asia's Private Infrastructure Fund 2 (LEAP 2), an ADB-managed fund capitalized with a $1.5 billion commitment by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Established in 2023, LEAP 2 focuses on sustainable private sector infrastructure projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and provide affordable health care, education, and communication services to ADB's developing member countries.

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members--50 from the region.