ISLAMABAD: The government has earmarked Rs97.098 billion for education affairs and services in the federal budget for 2023-24 against the revised allocation of Rs91.777 billion for the current fiscal year, showing an increase of around 5.5 percent.

Pakistan’s public expenditure on education as percentage to GDP is estimated at 1.7 percentage in the fiscal year 2022-23 against 1.4 percent for the last fiscal year, which is the lowest in the region.

The bulk of expenditure of Rs76.589 billion has been allocated for Tertiary Education Affairs and Services in budget 2023-24, which is 79 percent of the total allocation under this head.

Economic Survey: Cumulative education expenditures estimated at 1.77pc of GDP

The government has earmarked Rs4.468 billion for pre-primary and primary education affairs for 2023-24 against Rs3.786 billion for 2022-23, Rs10.778 billion earmarked for Secondary Education Affairs and Services for 2023-24 against Rs8.863 billion for 2022-23, and Rs3.698 billion for administration against the revised Rs2.010 billion for 2022-23 which was later revised to Rs2.430 billion.

After the 18th Constitutional amendment, education as subject has been devolved to provinces, and the federal government mainly finances higher education.

According to the budget documents, Rs59.71 billion has been earmarked for Higher Education Commission (HEC) under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2023-24 against Rs44.718 billion for 2022-23.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023