In the remote desert district of Tharparkar, a stark disconnect between budget allocation and actual spending is deepening the crisis in education. Despite a substantial allocation of Rs10,233 million for education, only Rs4,434 million has been utilised, leaving nearly 56% of the budget untouched.
This alarming underutilisation directly affects the delivery of essential educational services and reflects serious shortcomings in planning and implementation. Key areas such as current revenue expenses, development, repair and maintenance and civil works remain critically underfunded despite being central to the functioning and improvement of schools across the district.
Tharparkar is home to over 4,500 government schools, yet more than 700 remain closed due to a lack of infrastructure, teaching staff or basic maintenance. The current state of affairs paints a distressing picture of a region left behind, where children are denied their basic right to education not because of a lack of resources, but because of mismanagement and inefficiency.
The underutilised budget must serve as a wake-up call for both the provincial government and the district education authorities. There is an urgent need to improve budget execution, establish transparent monitoring systems and ensure that funds are directed toward reopening closed schools and upgrading existing ones. Local communities, civil society organisations and elected representatives must be actively involved in school oversight and management. Without immediate corrective action, Tharparkar’s future generations will continue to be deprived of educational opportunities, deepening cycles of poverty and marginalisation.
Mukesh Raja,
Islamkot, Tharparkar
