Four percent of GDP allocation for education: media urged to compel political leadership

Punjab University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran has stated that the media should use its profound influence to compel political leadership for allocation of 4 percent of GDP for education sector.
He was speaking at the annual lunch hosted in honour of families of Lahore Press Club members at Journalist Housing Society, Harbanspura here on Sunday. President LPC Sarmad Bashir also spoke at the function.
The Vice-Chancellor said various organs of print and electronic mass media play a pivotal role in moulding opinion of general public and the rulers. As such, the media should continuously highlight the urgent need for allocating requisite funds for education sector to better socio-economic conditions of the people.
He regretted that not a single government in the past ever realised vital importance of education for national development and reconstruction.
He said creation and spread of new knowledge is a must if we want to live an honourable and prosperous life in the 21st century. Pakistan having a population of 175 million spends a meager percentage of around 2 percent of its GDP of Rs 170 billion on education against 5 to 7 percent by the developed world.
Resultantly Pakistan is included amongst the last four countries of the world including Chad, Ecuador and Equatorial Guinea, which incur lowest expenditure on education.
Today we are suffering from dire consequences due to the neglect shown to education sector, while our neighbouring countries are moving ahead very speedily. The Government of Thailand extends Rs 1 billion educational loans to the students community, which are recovered after 15 years period.
He said the present administration has also raised varsity research funding from Rs 40 lac in the past to rupees five crore in the current year budget to substantially boost up scholarly research activities. He further emphasised that the people should cast their votes in favour of the candidates on the condition that after assumption of power they will allocate a minimum of 4 percent of country's GDP for spread of knowledge and literacy.