LAHORE, June 24: The Punjab government will spend Rs31.69 billion on education during the financial year 2002-03, which is Rs3.5 billion more than the current budget of Rs28.19 billion.

It has allocated Rs29.804 billion funds to the districts, while it would spend Rs1.385 billion for itself.

A sum of Rs1.356 billion have been allocated for development — Rs229.527 million for new schemes in higher education alone and Rs1.126 billion for ongoing schemes.

Of Rs1.126 billion allocated for ongoing schemes, it has allocated Rs642.767 million for elementary education, Rs422.457 million for secondary education, Rs37.520 million for literacy programme, Rs21.917 million for higher education and Rs1.757 million for special education. The allocations for elementary and secondary education includes foreign aid of Rs509.052 million and Rs322.457 million, respectively.

The break-up of Rs229.527 million for new schemes in higher education shows that Rs6.393 million have been allocated for the setting up of School of Mathematical Sciences in Government College, Lahore; Rs136.551 million for the establishment of School of Biological Sciences in the Punjab University; Rs56.583 million for Khawarzmi Institute of Computer Sciences; Rs10 million for the construction of postgraduate block in the Lahore College for Women; Rs13 million for networking in University of Education and Government Colleges of Education; Rs3.5 million for rehabilitation and conservation of Haveli Dhayan Singh No 2 and 3 through LDA. Fatima Jinnah College for Women, Chuna Mandi, is housed in the haveli. The government has also allocated Rs3.5 million for the provision of facilities in the academic block by UGC and construction of waiting area in the College of Home Economics, Lahore. The scheme is, however, still unapproved.

The break-up of ongoing schemes shows that Rs1.757 million have been allocated for the reconstruction of a block in the Training College for Teachers of Deaf, Gung Mehal, Gulberg.

In the elementary education, the government has allocated Rs468.234 million for Asian Development Bank assisted Girls Primary Education Project (Phase-II). Under this project, the government plans to convert 156 girls primary schools into community model schools. In the Phase-I of this project, 362 schools had already been converted into model schools. Furniture would be provided to 418 schools, while 514 schools will be given other facilities. Similarly, Rs79.408 million have been allocated for the promotion of primary education for girls in rural areas. Under this project, funded by the World Food Programme, the government will also distribute 1,500 ton edible oil worth Rs79.4 million among primary students. The government will also give Rs95.125 million for upgradation of 36 colleges for elementary teachers.

In the literacy sector, the government has allocated Rs37.520 million for Education for All - Literacy and Primary Education Project.

In the secondary education sector, it has earmarked Rs422.457 million for the Second Science Education Project.

In the higher education sector, Rs0.996 million have been allocated for improvement of eight colleges in the province; Rs2.271 million for conversion of Government College, Lahore, into a university; Rs4.650 million for the establishment of Central Science Library in Lahore. The government has also allocated Rs14 million for the award of scholarships for college teachers for Ph.D and M.Phil at local institutions. The status of this scheme is, however, unapproved.

The Punjab government had already allowed the district governments to recruit 30,000 teachers on school-specific basis to end the issue of transfers and postings. The government has directed that the district governments should give priority to science teachers as well as recruitment in girls high schools.

The government has also planned to expand the technical training network with a proposed allocation of Rs256.2 million.