Participants at pre-budget dialogue have suggested that the government to increase developmental funds for education sector in next budget in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They said that there is a dire need of budgetary allocation to all districts on equitable basis, to meet existing missing facilities and up-gradation of education infrastructure in all districts.
The participants further proposed for sufficient allocation of funds for capacity-building of in-service teaching staffs. The education budget should be outlined in light of Article-25 A, to reinforce the legislative steps for promotion of education in the province, the participants suggested.
The pre-budget policy dialogue titled: "Effective Education Financing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Budget 2013-14, organised by Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) in collaboration with Department for International Development (DFID) here at a local hotel. Notable speakers were included Masood Ahmad, Special Secretary Finance, Department of Finance, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Saifur Rehman Usmani, Director FMIU, from Provincial Department of Finance, Dr Salman Humayun, Executive Director, I-SAPS, Ahmad Ali, Research Fellow I-SAPS, Naeem Sidhu.
Members from civil society organisations, officials of education department, representative of donor agencies, relevant stakeholders and members from media organisations were also attended the pre-budget dialogue. Majority of the participants viewed that education sector was badly suffered by militancy during last five years. Despite the fact, he said, the steps had been taken to promote education by giving top priority to this sector in the KP province.
Though, they said the funds allocation had been increased for the sector, but there was needed to maximum financing for provision of missing facilities at public sector educational institutions, and up-gradation of exiting infrastructure, instead of budgeting for construction of new schools.
Ahmad Ali, while giving a detailed presentation based on a research study, informed that about 40 percent children were out of schools, while nearly 34 percent education institutions were lacking proper boundary walls. Though, he said that the education budget was jumped at Rs 22 million, but mostly funds spent on non-development and recurring budget in the sector. He informed a total of Rs 9.63 billion had allocated for education sector in this fiscal year 2012-13, out of which Rs 8.91 billion spent on recurring or salaries and miscellaneous expenditure, while only Rs 722.64 million were released for development in the education sector.
In current financial period, he informed the recurring budget was swelled at Rs 55.9 billion with 12 percent increase, by slashing development budget of primary and secondary level education institutions, which was greatly affected performance. He suggested that it should need to increase non-salaries budget in the next budget, to meet all missing facilities, mainly up-gradation and rehabilitation of damaged education infrastructure in the province.
About 37 percent education institutions were lacking water facility, four percent having not proper constructed roof, 51 percent without installation of electricity, 29 percent lacking bathroom facilities and nearly 34 percent without proper walls, he explained. He added the enrolment of students, is not very promising as nearly 52 percent children under age of five to nine, and 60 percent under five to 16 age were out of schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Similarly, he said that funds had unequally released between districts on head of education, mostly to three central districts, including Peshawar, Manshera, and Mardan, wherein approximately spent Rs 3 billion with maximum utilisation ratio of funds 22 per cent. He called, for equitable distribution of funds in all districts in the province.
He informed that funds of Rs 246million had allocated for pre-and post training in fiscal year 2012-13, were enhanced at Rs 297.98 million. According to which, about 75 percent of funds were utilised on pre-service training of teachers, 15 percent during service, while only 11 percent for directorate for syllabus.
Giving budget proposal and suggestions specifically education sector in KP, he demanded for allocation of funds for PEAC in the next budget, enhancement of development budget, sufficient allocation for training of teachers during service. Later, Masood Ahmad, and Saifur Rehman, from the provincial department of finance while speaking on the occasion, assured the participants that they would consider all proposals and recommendations for making sufficient allocation on head of education in next budget.
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