Rs 26 billion project implementation: all set for PC to form 'Literacy Authority'

The Ministry of Education is all set to ask the Planning Commission (PC) to set up the 'Basic Education Literacy Authority (Bela) for undertaking the Rs 26 billion Non-Formal Basic Education (NFBE) project.
Sources in the Ministry told Business Recorder that all modalities, including PC-1, have been finalised, and all that needed was a notification of the 'authority' to undertake the project.
The Planning Commission (PC), unhappy over poor implementation of the project, wants it to be implemented through 'Bela', and had constituted a committee, headed by Chairman of National Education Foundation, Lieutenant General Sabeeh Qumar-uz-Zaman, to finalise the modalities for setting up the 'authority'.
Members of the committee included Secretary Education Sajid Hussain, Member Social Sector PC Muhammad Jalil Minhas, Advisor PC Dr Shaukat Hamid, Financial Advisor Education Ministry of Finance Muhammad Afzal and Chief of Science, Technology and Education, PC, Ashraf.
In May 2005, the PC had declared NFBE as a slow moving project, and recommended its closure, as it was of the view that instead of promoting literacy it had become a source of income generation for education-related non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
However, after prolonged deliberations between Education Ministry and the PC, the latter agreed to implementing the project through an autonomous 'authority' that would be overseen by the Ministry, and tasked the project department to resubmit the PC-1.
The PC had recommended that the project should be taken up in phases, and divided it into two categories--adult literacy, and basic literacy--besides schools to have permanent infrastructures.
Sources said that the revised PC-1 recommends substantial increase in the salary of the teachers. Under the basic literacy program. From Primary to Sixth class, the major policy thrust would be to shift these students into formal education, whereas those who would be enrolled in adult literacy program would be provided technical and informal education.
The proposed 'authority' will establish 71,815 non-formal basic education schools (in addition to 10,185 ongoing NFBE schools) for imparting Primary education across the country. The basic education community school (BECS) will have an intake capacity of 30 students on an average. If the enrolment in a Primary school exceeds 40, physical facilities of two schools (including two teachers) will be provided.
The project will create employment opportunities for 71,815 Basic Education Community Primary School Teachers, besides 728 supporting/operational staff. The project is also designed to provide education to poor girls at their doorsteps.