Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan, covering over 47-percent of the country's land mass. Although it's rich in mineral resources, its socio-economic development is far behind compared to other provinces. Education remains one of the biggest challenges but the situation is changing. Our correspondent Danial Khan has more.

The literacy rate of Balochistan is 46 percent. Out of 3.6 million, only 1.3 million children attend school. The existing schools lack basic facilities, with no washrooms, no doors or clean drinking water. Last governments did not pay heed to the education sector in the province. But all that is changing. Following the initiation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the China Overseas Ports Holding Company expressed interest in projects for the uplift of the local community.

DANIAL KHAN GWADAR, PAKISTAN "The Chinese government is not only providing economic opportunities but is also educating the poor by building schools in the region. One of the newly built fully operational schools is the China-Pakistan government primary school, inaugurated in 2016."

Built in line with modern architecture, the school provides facilities like no other government primary school in Balochistan.

ZHANG BAOZHONG, CHAIRMAN & CEO CHINA OVERSEAS PORT HOLDING COMPANY "Now I'm very happy that just within 2 years, it has developed as the best school, not only in Gwadar but also in Balochistan. During the last national examination, more than 95 percent of the students passed the examination, this is the highest percentage in Balochistan."

Located at one of the poorest areas of the city, the school was originally designed for 150 students, but now over 570 students are enrolled. Here I met Shabana, an ambitious primary class teacher, and a local of Gwadar.

SHABANA SHADADALI, TEACHER PAK-CHINA FRIENDSHIP SCHOOL, GWADAR "I think Gwadar is developing nowadays because being a Gwadri, since my childhood, I lived here and suffered so much, not only me, all Gwadris suffered a lot. Because there was no education, no hospitals, no school and electricity, so we suffered a lot. But nowadays, I feel that yes, a change is coming, so I'm satisfied with it and my people are getting education."

Shabana says the high-quality education and dedicated staff have encouraged more families to admit their children to the Pak-China School.

SHABANA SHADADALI, TEACHER PAK-CHINA FRIENDSHIP SCHOOL, GWADAR "If we talk about 10 or 15 years ago, people did not let their girls go to schools to study but now their mind is changed and they realize the quality of education, now they understand that if they are fishermen, they are shopkeepers, they have to educate their boys and girls. And now as I say Mashallah there is a majority of girls than boys."

Shabana hopes that one day her dream of completing her higher education will come true.

SHABANA SHADADALI, TEACHER PAK-CHINA FRIENDSHIP SCHOOL, GWADAR "I'm wishing to have a scholarship for my M-Phil, if I got it from the Chinese government I will thank them and will go and complete my education and Inshallah do my Phd!"

Despite challenges, Pak-China Friendship School has set a high precedent for effective mobilization and teamwork between the government of China and Pakistan in bringing prosperity to the common man. Danial Khan, CGTN, Gwadar.