Parties under pressure to reform education system

Hundreds of schools in Pindi lack access to proper sewerage system, drinking water facilities.


Our Correspondent April 24, 2013
Rs5.64 billion had been allocated to fund education in the district, of which Rs5.5 billion were apportioned to teachers and other department officials in salaries, says Dr Ahmad. PHOTO: FILE

RAWALPINDI:


Organisers of a seminar on Tuesday called on political parties to implement Article 25-A of the constitution in letter and spirit. The article mandates that the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children aged five to 16.


The seminar, titled “Problems and Opportunities Facing the Education Department,” was organised by the Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) and attended by representatives of all major parties.

Programme Coordinator Dr Ahmad said 130,585 children were not in schools in Punjab, based on a survey carried out by I-SAPS.

“Hundreds of government schools are lacking basic facilities despite being allocated hefty funds,” he said.

Ahmad said 591 state-run schools in Rawalpindi district did not have drinking water facilities, 464 schools lacked a proper sewerage system, 1,626 schools didn’t have playgrounds, 455 schools lacked boundary walls while eight schools didn’t have any buildings.

He added that Rs5.64 billion had been allocated to fund education in the district, of which Rs5.5 billion were apportioned to teachers and other department officials in salaries.

Party representatives pledged to double the education budget and do away with political interference in the department.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Faizul Hasan Chauhan vowed to raise the education budget to five percent if voted into power.

“We have prepared a plan to provide education to all and formulate a standardised curriculum across the country,” he said.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz representative and educationist Jamal Nasir said his party had done its best to equip schools with modern basic facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

p r sharma | 10 years ago | Reply

"Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Faizul Hasan Chauhan vowed to raise the education budget to five percent if voted into power." -- PTI intends to increase the budget by 5% ( existing Rs. 5.64 billion)i.e. an increase of Rs. 28 million . this amount will be eaten out in the increase in the salary of teachers & officials. Pathectic. Are they really interested to improve education system ?? (or something wrong in the news article itself.)

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