Punjab government has embarked upon a comprehensive plan to enhance the quality of college education with special focus on improvement of physical infrastructure of colleges. To complete the schemes under PESRP Phase-I, an allocation of Rs 100 million has been allocated in the Punjab budget for the year 2011-12.
For the provision of missing facilities in other colleges an amount of Rs 1460 million has also been allocated in the budget for the year 2011-12, official sources told Business Recorder. In order to promote higher education in the province, the sources said it has been decided by the government to provide postgraduate facility to all the colleges at District Headquarters.
For this purpose, 3 sites, ie Government Islamia College for Boys and Girls, Narowal, Government Degree College for Boys, Rajanpur and Government Degree College for Boys, Lodhran have been identified. In order to promote Higher Education in the province, it has also been decided by the government to provide Computer Labs in all colleges of Punjab in a phased manner.
At present, Public Private Partnership mode has been adopted by the department for computer education, which is expensive. Through this project, computer education will be provided in all colleges of the Punjab on nominal expenses and for the purpose. An amount of Rs 30.0 million has been allocated in the budget 2011-12 to initiate the activity, the sources pointed out.
About Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF), the sources said PEEF is an initiative of the Government of Punjab with the objective of providing scholarships/monetary assistance to talented and needy students for pursuing quality education with equal opportunities.
In FY 2011-12, an amount of Rs 2 billion would be added to the PEEF. Special treatment will be given to the students of fifteen less developed districts of the Southern Punjab. Special quotas for orphans, children of Government employees (up to BS-14), disabled, minorities and widows have also been allocated. Bright and needy students of other provinces, including Azad Kashmir will also be provided opportunities for higher education through this programme, the sources added.
According to them, the government is trying to create conducive learning environment for the disabled students to make them self-reliant members of the society and to utilise their potential and skills in various spheres of life. A provision of Rs 500.0 million has been made available in Development Programme 2011-12 of Punjab government. In order to create conducive learning environment for disabled students and to make them self reliant members of the society, 4 devolved projects are included in the ADP 2011-12 with a provision of Rs 25.700 million to complete them.