PESHAWAR, Aug 08 (APP):Despite resources constraints, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has significantly increased its annual spending on Education, raising allocations from Rs. 96 billion in 2013 to Rs. 418 billion in the current fiscal year (2024-25). This information shared by Ejaz Muhammad Khalil, Deputy Director(Budget), Elementary and Secondary Education while speaking at a Post-Budget Seminar organized by Blue Veins in collaboration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of …
KP’s educational budget registers significant surge from Rs. 96 b to 418 b in 12 years with emphasis on female literacy
PESHAWAR, Aug 08 (APP):Despite resources constraints, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has significantly increased its annual spending on Education, raising allocations from Rs. 96 billion in 2013 to Rs. 418 billion in the current fiscal year (2024-25).
This information shared by Ejaz Muhammad Khalil, Deputy Director(Budget), Elementary and Secondary Education while speaking at a Post-Budget Seminar organized by Blue Veins in collaboration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women, National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission.
The seminar was attended by MPAs including Taj Muhammad Tarand, Amina Sardar, Shazia Tehmas Khan, Shafi Jan, Special Secretary Elementary Education, Abdul Basit, Khwaja Faheem Sajjad, Special Secretary Development, Dr. Nishat Raiz, Chief Executive Pakistan, Malala Fund and others.
“The province (KP) also has the distinction of reserving 70 percent of its total budgetary allocations on improving girl’s education by providing them necessary facilities besides establishing new schools and class rooms,” Ejaz added.
In his presentation, Ejaz Khalil mentioned that female literacy rate in the province is 37 percent while 46 percent of girls are out of school, around 2.9 million.
In order to bring maximum number of girls in the education network, the provincial government is focusing its policies on female education.
He informed in the current fiscal year, 96 developmental projects for Education department are in progress with an Annual Development Fund of Rs. 18.8 billion.
The developmental plan also included increase of double shift schools from existing 1100 to 1600, setting up 500 new schools with the objective of providing maximum facilities to youngsters to avail from second shift learning.
An initiative of establishing 50 primary schools with pre-fabricated structure in different parts of the province is also part of this year Educational ADP.
Education department has enrolled around 7.2 million out of school children during its enrollment drive launching in the beginning of 2025. Now in September, second phase of enrollment campaign will be launched with a target of bringing back around two million out of school children, Ejaz Khalil added.
Speaking on the occasion, MPA Taj Muhammad Tarand who is also Chairman Elementary and Primary Education Committee apprised participants of the seminar about transforming of education sector under the Good Governance Roadmap planned by KP government.
The plan included transformative shift of outsourcing 1,500 public schools to trusted educational partners under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Similarly, he continued, the KP government is also considering over introduction of Education Card in pattern of Sehat Card, enabling poor parents for getting their children educated from standard educational institutions free of cost.
He also shared vetting of the Implementation Rules of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Free and Compulsory Education Act 2017 by the Law Department.
MPA Amina Sardar laid stress on public-private partnership in development of education sector. She also gave an example of upgradation of government schools Samandar Khat area of Galliyat through public-private partnership.
Dr. Nishat Raiz, Chief Executive Pakistan, Malala Fund suggested for strong partnership between government, community and donor agencies in achieving development goals and for raising the living standard of people.
Progress cannot be achieved by living in isolation, we have to develop a network by strengthening of eco-system or partnership between public, government and donors, she reiterated.
“Programme Manager Blue Veins, Qamar Naseem, emphasized that gender parity is crucial across all sectors, particularly in education. He stressed that without substantial improvements in female literacy rates, sustainable development in our country remains unattainable.”
. Qamar stressed the need of proper show casing of different initiative taken by government especially the recent development of notifying of Implementation Rules of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Free and Compulsory Education Act 2017.
Muhammad Rizwan of NCHR in his concluding remarks mentioned different measures taken for ensuring education for all including the minority community in the province.
He held out assurance of full cooperation by NCHR with KP government, CSOs and donor agencies in improving the education indicators, especially of girls’ education, in the province.
The seminar also allowed participants to provide recommendations and feedback, calling for more effective and efficient spending to ensure that the funds allocated to girls’ education have a lasting impact.
