August 17, 2002	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Saani 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: The government is likely to extend the time period of Education Sector Reforms (ESR) from 2001-04 to 2001-05 to complete the restructuring of the education sector.

Official sources told Dawn that the decision to this effect was expected to be taken in a high-level meeting, that would be presided over by President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Saturday.

Among others, the meeting will be attended by ministers of finance, religious affairs, and science and technology; National Reconstruction Bureau chairman, National Commission for Human Development chairman, deputy chairman of Planning Commission, secretary-general finance, all provincial education ministers, and education minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The government has projected Rs55 billion for the ESR related projects to be carried out during 2001-04. According to officials, if the ESR time period was extended for another year, then the total allocation would be increased from Rs55 billion to Rs100 billion.

Under the ESR plan, the government has projected Rs14 billion only for mainstreaming Madaris across the country. Of the total amount, Rs5 billion was projected in the budget 2002-03, while Rs5 billion would be allocated in 2003-04. Similarly, Rs4 billion will be earmarked for the purpose during 2004-05.

During the meeting, education minister Zobaida Jalal will give presentation to the president on the achievements and failures of the ESR action plan.

The other issues to be discussed during the presentation include enhancement of federal, provincial, district governments’ development budget for the ESR programmes, and appropriate integration of recurrent and development budget at all levels to create additional resources and to ensure optimal utilization of existing ones.

Under the ESR plan, the government has allocated Rs15 billion for establishment of polytechnic and mono-technic institutes at district levels. Similarly, improvement of education at college and secondary levels was also included in the new plan.

The meeting will also consider the proposal to integrate various programmes of different ministries and division, focussed on education sector, into ESR programmes.

Such programmes include research and development, and IT programmes of the science and technology ministry; nutrition programme of women development ministry; vocational training and elimination of child-labour programme of the labour ministry; educational institutions in cantt and garrisons under the defence ministry, and rehabilitation of schools’ infrastructure under the Khushaal Pakistan Programme.