Rs11b set aside for capital’s schools, colleges

Smart schools to be set up; two new colleges to be built

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has allocated around Rs11 billion for schools and colleges in Islamabad in the new fiscal year 2017-18.

Much of the pledged allocations, around Rs8.5 billion, will be for non-development expenditures for the 422 schools and colleges and Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) which oversees these institutions. Much of this money will go towards paying the salaries of teachers and staff along with other associated bills.

The officials have demanded Rs2.18 billion under various heads to pay for the day-to-day affairs of the directorate.



Development funds

For ongoing and new projects which the government would undertake in the capital, Rs2.68 billion have been allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). The money would fund nine ongoing projects while three new projects would be initiated this year.

Among the new projects, the government plans to set up Smart Schools in the capital this year. For this purpose, the development has earmarked Rs100 million.

Moreover, the government has plans to construct two new schools in the capital. It has earmarked Rs50 million to build the Islamabad Model College for Girls in Sector G-13/1 while Rs41.94 million have been set aside for the Islamabad Model College for Boys in Sector G-15.

Ongoing projects

The major chunk of the development funds has been allocated for renovating and rehabilitating infrastructure at the 200 educational institutions in the capital under the Prime Minister’s Education Reforms Programme. The government has earmarked Rs1.742 billion for this project.

Separately, it has allocated Rs100 million for upgrading high schools in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

Among the ongoing projects, the government has earmarked Rs534.9 million to establish a Federal Government College of Home Economics, Management Sciences and Specialized Disciplines in Sector F-11/1.

The development projects also include funds for two centers for special children - Rs25 million for the upgrading the National Special Education Center for Hearing Impaired Children from Higher Secondary to Graduation Level in Sector H-9/4 and Rs20 million for the establishment of Resource Unit for Autistic Children at National Special Education Centre for Mentally Challenged Children in Sector H-8/4.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2017.