The education budget has witnessed a 13 per cent increase on last year’s Rs86 billion.
ISLAMABAD: Over 72 per cent of the total education budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2015-16 has gone to the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The federal government has allocated Rs98 billion for development and non development projects in the education sector, of which Rs71 billion have been set aside for the HEC.
The education budget has witnessed a 13 per cent increase on last year’s Rs86 billion. The allocation for the education ministry, however, has been cut by Rs1 billion.
The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has been allocated Rs2.2 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). It was allocated Rs3.5 billion last year and Rs5.2 billion in FY 2013-14.
Ministry officials were surprised when the National Economic Council (NEC) rejected their Rs1 billion education sector reforms proposal for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) institutions and Rs300 million for the Basic Education Community Schools project.
Without the expected Rs1billion, it seems that the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) will continue to look after schools and colleges in Islamabad instead of the education ministry.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that the provinces had agreed in the recent NEC meeting to increase education spending from 1.8 per cent to 3 per cent of the GDP. He, however, had also remarked that “it’s tricky business”.
HEC is in the money
The higher education sector, like previous year, has been given Rs20 billion share in the development budget. Another Rs51 billion have been set aside for the HEC in the non-development budget for FY 2015-16.
The government has announced around Rs15.9 billion for 87 ongoing projects and Rs 4.5 billion for 57 new HEC schemes. The new projects include the establishment of a women’s university in Bagh, AJK, for Rs35 million, Rs30 million for the establishment of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan, and Rs100 million to set up a national science and technology park at the National University of Science and Technology.
Similarly, Rs300 million has been set aside as a technology development fund for HEC scholars returning to Pakistan after completing doctorates abroad to introduce new technologies and applications. The project was also included in the previous PSDP, but no progress was made during the outgoing fiscal year.
An amount of Rs100 million have been approved for the establishment of the University of Baltistan; Rs20 million for smart universities project which envisages high-tech classrooms. Another Rs100 million have been allocated for up-gradation of universities in backward areas.
An amount of Rs24 million has been earmarked for the prime minister’s merit scholarships programme for position holders at various universities. Upgradation and development of education institutions and programmes in different parts of country are also included in the PSDP.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2015.
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