RAWALPINDI: Thousands of girl students in Punjab would have to wait for an indefinite period for the provision of missing facilities in their institutions as the provincial government has withdrawn Rs720 million allocated for the purpose.

The special budget was earmarked in 2013 to provide missing facilities in government schools across the province.

Dr Masoom Yasinzai, the rector of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), said without ensuring basic facilities the drop-out rate cannot be overcome.

“On the one hand, we are talking about an education emergency and on the other hundreds of schools are facing shortage of furniture and washrooms. The government should release funds for the provision of missing facilities in all schools,” he said.

The special budget was set aside for provision of missing facilities in schools last year

A source in the education department Rawalpindi said the Punjab government had withdrawn the special allocated funds of Rs720 million from all the districts. The amount had been released in four instalments last year with the last one approved in December 2013.

The special budget was supposed to be spent on the provision of clean drinking water, construction of toilets, boundary walls and purchase of furniture.

The district of Rawalpindi had been allocated Rs152.35 million in the special budget.

However, on Monday the education department was informed by the finance ministry that the government had decided to withdraw the Rs38 million given to the district in the fourth instalment of the special budget.

“Yes, our last quarter of the budget has been withdrawn. This move will disturb our development projects. At present, 83 schemes related to the construction of boundary walls around girls’ schools are underway,” said Executive District Officer (education) Qazi Zahoorul Haq while talking to Dawn.

“By utilising the three installments of the allotted special budget, we had almost completed the purchase of furniture, provision of water and construction of toilets in the schools. The fourth instalment was supposed to be spent on 87 schemes of boundary walls.” He said no reason was given by the government for the withdrawal of the special funds.

When contacted. Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, MNA from Rawalpindi, criticised the government for taking back the amount from the education department. “This is unfortunate. It seems the rulers have no interest in improving the education sector which is declining day by day,” he added.

A source in the education department told Dawn that the forth instalment was supposed to be spent on the provision of missing facilities in schools focusing on girls’ schools.

He said for 26 districts, the budget was released to provide missing facilities in girls schools while in eight districts had been given the funds for boys’ schools.

“This is not a positive development. We have no idea why all of a sudden the government withdrew the amount. This move will disturb the ongoing development schemes,” said Rana Liaquat Ali, the additional general secretary of the Punjab Teachers’ Union.

He said hundreds of schools in the province were facing shortage of furniture, toilets and boundary walls.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2014