Budget 2014-15: KP government allocates over Rs 7.3 billion for E&S education

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa coalition government allocated over Rs7.3billion for elementary & secondary education in the fiscal budget for 2014-15, making a 14 percent increase in the allocation against the outgoing year.
According to budget document, education plays a pivotal role in the progress of the nations, and Pakistan in general and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular lags behind in the field of education from many countries of the region. The overall literacy rate in Pakistan is 58 percent (70 % male & 47 female) whereas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the literacy rate is 52 percent (72% male & 35 % female).
Keeping in view the above, education sector has become the top priority of the incumbent provincial coalition government. The main focus of new projects is to promote the education at the primary level, create a gender balance, and fulfil the infrastructural requirements of existing institutions including staff, equipment, furniture, teachers training and essential repairs, it added.
The provincial government is committed to provide free and quality education to all up to higher secondary level. Besides, up-gradations of different levels of the government run schools in the development programme, the higher education sector has also planned to establish new degree colleges and Higher Education Teachers' Training Academy Peshawar, and establishment of cluster hostels across the province.
Moreover, new blocks & hostels will be constructed and computer equipment will be provided in various colleges for imparting education in information technology and other sciences. An amount of Rs 14312.000million is allocated for funding of 112 projects out of which 68 are ongoing and 36 are ongoing with allocation of Rs8820.832million and 44 are new projects, with allocation of Rs5491.168million. The following targets will be achieved in this sector during the year.
Moreover, new hostel in Booni district Chitral will be constructed and establishment of Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library at Akora Khattak Nowshera and provision of computer equipment to various colleges for imparting education in information technology and other sciences.
Likewise, the total budget estimates for Higher education for the financial year 2014-15 comes at Rs 7044.880million. However the budget for elementary and secondary education for the financial year 2014-15, both Provincial & Districts were Rs 73684.438 with 22 percent increase for salary and non-salary in shape Rs 33409.796million for Government Primary schools (male and female), and Rs621.070million for Administration.
The Sub-divisional Education Officer (male and female) Rs 621.070million, whereas Rs260.547 (Rs255.246 and Rs5.301) against the last year Rs237.626 million for other purposes like Regional Institutes for Teachers Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Budget document said that for secondary education a sum of Rs35918.072million were kept for Middle, High/Higher Secondary Schools, and Rs1747.273million against the last year Rs938.091 million for administrative purposes, while Rs1077.283million for colleges/professional colleges and institutes, and Rs 650.397million were reserved for Elementary and Secondary Department.
Besides the above, Rs 376.219 grants in aid was also released for autonomous and semi autonomous institutes during the current fiscal year.Rs123.539million for Akram Khan Durrani Public School and College Bannu, Rs81.890million for Abbotabad Public School and College, Rs150.000million for Elementary Education Foundation and Rs20.790million for Cadet College Swat.
Similarly, government showed it firm commitment that to support and provide a strong financial back to grants-in aid amounting Rs262.112million were released to semi-government0autonomus institutions from time to time during fiscal year 2013-14 to supplement their financial resources so that they can fulfil their operational and developmental needs. Like grant in aid to Gomal University D I Khan Rs100.000million, Rs2.000million to Hazara University, Rs0.112million for printing of books (Hayat-i-Mashwani) and Rs160.000million for Frontier Education Foundation (FEF).
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government according to budget document reserved a total Budget Estimates of the Higher Education for the financial year 2014-15 is Rs1013.828million in revised estimates Rs7044.880with, against the previous Rs 6055.093million. It was stated as Rs 102.900million for salaries and Rs56.572million for non-salaries purposes.