Committee seeks record of tablet PCs provided to schools

The sub-committee of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly on Elementary and Secondary Education on Wednesday voiced its concern over the differences in sale and purchase data in the acquisition of tablet PCs for 100 selected schools in 25 districts of K-P in 2014-15 as well as non-payment of honorarium in Government Girls College Kotki, Dir Bala.

Idrees Khan chaired the meeting of the committee which was attended by the secretary elementary education, additional secretary law and concerned deputy secretaries.

The committee thoroughly discussed difference and ambiguity in the purchase of the tablet PCs besides disbursement of monthly stipend to female students of government schools.

The committee was informed that embezzled amount of Rs700,000 that was to be meant for the students of Govt Girls High School Kotki, Bala, Dir was recovered from the employee and he had been handed over to FIA further action.

The meeting was also informed that the Elementary and Secondary Education Department had started online stipend to students after the incident that would also help ensuring transparency in the disbursement process.

On the occasion, the chair directed the department to inform the committee about the updated situation of stipend disbursement across the province.

He said that financial experts, K-P Revenue Authority and officials of Elementary and Secondary Education Department should conduct investigation of the irregularity and submit final report in next meeting before the committee.

He also directed the representative of KAPRA to appear in next meeting of the committee and sought details distribution procedure and record of those who have been given tablet PCs.

The committee also urged that financial experts should also attend the meeting of the public account committees.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2022.