Allocation Of Highest Budget For Education Signifies Govt Priorities To Empower Youth

Education is being considered as a cornerstone of government policies with a substantial share in the budget due to its direct role in poverty alleviation, socio-economic development and mutual coexistence in society

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jun, 2023 ) :Education is being considered as a cornerstone of government policies with a substantial share in the budget due to its direct role in poverty alleviation, socio-economic development and mutual coexistence in society.

Keeping in view of significance of education in reformation of the society and enormous socioeconomic benefits, the Federal government has announced a significant increase in budget 2023-24 for Education Affairs and Services to provide quality education to all.

Meeting people's expectations after an allocation of Rs. 97.098 billion in budget 2023-24 for education sector, the federal government has brought approximately 5.5% more increase in FY 2023-24 compared to the revised budget of Rs. 91.777 billion for the current fiscal year focusing on strengthening of educational infrastructure, increase of students enrollment and improved tertiary affairs and services of education in Pakistan.

"Education serves is a backbone of a country's socioeconomic development, and the government's education programs/reforms announced in the budget 2023-24 speak its strong commitment towards economic empowerment of Pakistani youth," said Professor Dr Ibrahim Khan, former Director Education KP while talking to APP on Monday.

With an increase of country's population to record 233.257 million this year, he said there was a need to increase public sector universities and colleges in the country where only 218 public sector universities including 33 in Khyber Pakthunkhwa with 35.53milllion people were currently fulfilling education demands of youth representing 64 percent of Pakistan's total population.

In the wake of 18th Constitutional Amendment, he said education was devolved to the provinces and federal government primarily focuses on reforms and financing higher education.

He said major share of the budget, amounting to Rs. 76.589 billion, was earmarked for Tertiary Education Affairs and Services, representing a significant 79% of the total allocation under this category that was highly praised worthy.

To promote pre-primary and Primary education affairs, he said that Rs4.468 billion were allocated for fiscal year 2023-24, showing an increase from Rs 3.786 billion in 2022-23.

Similarly, Rs10.778 billion earmarked for Secondary Education Affairs and Services, compared to Rs8.863 billion in the previous year that was highly commendable.

According to Khyber Pakthunkhwa Education Management Information System (KPEMIS), about 221,551 students applied for admission in colleges for FA/FSc courses every year in the province, and their enrolment was a big challenge due to the limited number of seats, shortage of infrastructure and faculty members.

With 183,900 functional primary schools, 48,300 middle schools and 32,000 secondary schools, approximately 6,000 higher secondary/intermediate colleges, 3,800 technical and vocational institutes and 3,000-degree colleges were overburdened due to rapid population growth.

The lack of colleges and universities, poverty and socioeconomic imbalances besides poor policies of PTI have resulted in an increase in students drop out ratio in Khyber Pakthunkhwa where about 11.7 million children aged 5-16 years including one million in erstwhile Fata were out of education net.

The budget documents revealed that the higher education commission under public sector development programme (PSDP) has been increased to Rs. 59.71 billion for fiscal year 2023-24, compared to Rs 44.718 billion in current FY, showing the government strong commitment towards strengthening of higher education.

About Rs52.8 billion earmarked for ongoing schemes and Rs6.9 billion for new projects of the higher education.

The ongoing schemes include allocation of Rs1.

5 billion for the Award of Allama Muhammad Iqbal 3,000 scholarships to Afghan students and Rs500 million each for the development of the main campus of Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, and the development of the University of Buner in Swari Phase-I.

Besides earmarking of Rs500 million for establishment of Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Centre in basic sciences, and Rs500 million for University College at Zhob (BUITEMS), the Government has reserved Rs1 billion for Fulbright Scholarships Support Programme HEC-USAID (Phase-III), and Innovative Center and Software Park at the University of Engineering & Technology Sub Campus Lahore. Rs3.23 billion would be spent on scholarship of children of overseas Pakistanis for MS/M.Phil studies leading to PhD in selected fields under HEC Phase III program.

The federal government also earmarked Rs3 billion for Ph.D. Scholarship Programme under the Pak-US Knowledge Corridor Phase-I whereas Rs800 million allocated for strengthening and expansion of the University of Gujrat and Allied Campuses.

Likewise, Rs740.902 million for strengthening the Core Network & Expansion of PERN footprints through CPEC Optical Fiber (PERN-III)-HEC, and Rs1.5 billion for construction of the National sports City (NSC) at Narowal.

Likewise, Rs1.2 billion set aside for improving lab facilities in five leading Engineering Universities (UET Peshawar, Taxila, Lahore, Khuzdar & NED Karachi) under the new higher education schemes.

Similarly, Rs500 million each has been additionally set for providing higher education opportunities to students from Balochistan and merged tribal areas (Phase-III) and enhancing academic facilities at NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi besides Rs500 million for the establishment of the Institute of Sports.

Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN KP spokesman said that PTI uniformed education policy experience has badly exposed before masses in Khyber Pakthunkhwa. Despite 9 years long rule in KP, he said the PTI government has failed to introduce the promised reforms in education, health, police, judiciary, administration, criminal justice system and tax system, resultantly increase in suffering of people. He said the poor performance of the PTI government can be judged from the fact that there were only six universities for over 2.4 million people.

He said the PTI Govt's artificial measures, empty promises, U-turns, mere slogans and rhetoric speeches of Imran Khan have marred education and today almost all public sector universities were facing the brunt of poor economic and financial issues.

He claimed that the PTI government has failed to construct any public sector university in merged areas that resulted in an increase of illiteracy and unemployment there.

Shahab Khan, Chief Planning Officer, Education Department KP said that first ever Fata University at Dara Adamkhel near Kohat on 460 kanal land has been established where classes from first year to PhD level started with 50pc subsidy on fees to all tribal students enrolled in eight different disciplines.

Cadet College at Wana South Waziristan and Mohmand Cadet College in Mohmand district were completed while one library each was also being established at Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan.

He said that 10 new degree colleges were completed in merged areas raising its total number to 55, adding 300 new lecturers and subject specialists recruited for 45 colleges.

Work on solarization of colleges costing around Rs1.6 billion was launched and Rs1.399 billion was earmarked to provide 5,500 internships to tribal students. He said buses were also provided to universities and colleges to facilitate girls' students and faculty members.