Pakistan's total education budget today stands at about 3.5 percent, Deevan Jaffer Hussain Bukhari, Parliamentary Secretary for Education said while addressing the faculty members and students of Sindh Madressahtul Islam here on Saturday.
Bukhari said that although the country spends 2.2 percent of its budget on education but there is a separate budget 'for educational institutions run under the supervision of armed forces.
Besides, billions of rupees coming from international donor agencies are also being spent on education, which brings the total outlay for education at about 3.5 percent.
He stated that government has signed an agreement for the purchase of computer systems on the lowest rate. A computer system with a market price of Rs 45,000 will be procured at Rs 18,000 only and would be made available to the people on easy instalment of Rs 600 to 700.
The Parliamentary Secretary said that the task that should have been performed 10 years ago is being done now.
The government, he said, is endeavouring to enhance the quality of education besides setting up of quality educational institutions.
Bukhari believed that without increasing the existing literacy rate of 51 percent, the country can not make headway and develop. He lauded the Madressahs role, in the field of education.
The Principal SMI, Mohammad Ali Shaikh, in his address of welcome said that efforts are underway to upgrade this alma mater of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to the level of a university.
Earlier, Bukhari accompanies by Mohammad Ali Shaikh went round the Jinnah Museum, fine arts gallery and other old buildings of this historic institution.