PESHAWAR, June 8: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has allocated Rs12.18 billion worth of cumulative funds for carrying out development projects under higher education and elementary and secondary education sectors in its next financial year’s annual development programme, reflecting a marginal increase of Rs114 million compared to the outgoing fiscal.

According to the ADP, the elementary and secondary education sector will get Rs7.116 billion in the next financial year, reflecting a decrease by around Rs872 million compared to the revised estimates of the outgoing financial year’s ADP.

However, the government has projected an increased development outlay for the higher education sector for which an allocation of Rs5.1 billion has been made under the new ADP, up from Rs4.1 billion spent in the outgoing financial year.

On the current budget side (salaries of the education sector staff and expenditure under the non-salary heads), the province has estimated to spend Rs75.3 billion for elementary and secondary education, showing an increase by Rs23.165 billion compared to the revised estimates of the outgoing financial year’s budget.

Similarly, out of the current budget an amount of Rs5.4 billion has been earmarked for higher education and Rs2.82 billion for technical education.

The provincial government claims the allocation for education sector has been increased to four per cent of the total provincial GDP, which, as per its claim, is the highest among all four provinces.

Of the Rs5.4 billion higher education allocation, a sum of Rs4.6 billion will be incurred on salaries and the remaining amount of Rs761 million will be eaten up by multiple heads of the non-salary account. The current budget for the higher education reflects an increase by Rs650 million in the new financial year. The provincial government spent a total of Rs4.7 billion on the higher education (current side) in the outgoing financial year.

Of the ADP allocations, the money allocated for technical education will be utilised for establishing new technical institutes, modernising some old institutions and increasing the capacity and enrollment of students.

Besides, Rs1.2 billion will also be used for carrying out 90 projects for promotion of education across the province. During the next fiscal, some 25 new projects will be launched, while work on 65 ongoing projects will continue.

In the current financial year, the elementary and secondary education department will focus on promoting education at all tiers, maintaining gender balance, constructing and upgrading infrastructure, provision of basic facilities, procurement of equipment and furniture, and capacity building of teachers.

According to the budget document, it will also continue its programs for providing free textbooks up to higher secondary levels, stipends to the girl students and incentives for female teachers in remote and difficult areas.

The significant projects in the sector are establishment of model schools in Haripur, Hangu, Charsadda, Mardan and Battagram districts, establishment of a cadet college and major supportive reforms programs with the assistance of DFID and European Union.“The higher education sector will primarily focus on its ongoing program and its new portfolio includes plans for provision of additional facilities in government colleges, strengthening of existing public libraries, capacity building and establishment of pre-service academy for teachers, connecting its colleges with Pakistan Education & Research Network and procurement of science equipment, machinery, sports gear, furniture and books for government colleges.”

The targets set by the provincial government are the establishment of 100 new primary schools and 50 new primary schools in rented buildings in urban areas. Similarly, 50 primary schools will be upgraded to middle level in deficient union councils and 50 new middle schools will be established in rented buildings in urban areas.

A total of 50 middle schools will be upgraded to high level in deficient union councils and 25 high schools will be upgraded to higher secondary level in deficient union councils.

During the next fiscal, 245 IT labs and 50 science labs will be established in high and higher secondary schools, while 500 additional classrooms will be set up and 500 primary schools will be provided with basic facilities.

Work on six male and eight female government colleges will be completed, while Bachelor of Science programme will be initiated in 39 male and 16 female government colleges.

Likewise, transport facilities will be provided in 10 government colleges and 154 government colleges will be provided with furniture, library books and sports equipment. The department also plans start of a scholarship scheme for girls in Torghar and Kohistan districts for reducing dropout rate.

Under the plan, Rs1,500 per month will be given to 250 girls students from class 1-5 for five years from five areas of Torghar district as scholarship, while Rs2,000 per month will  be offered to 250 girls students from class 6-10 for five years from five areas of the district.

Also during the next fiscal, Rs2,000 per month will be provided to 100 girls students per class from class 6-10 in Kohistan for five years, while 100 students will be selected on merit through ETEA test every year.

According to the budget document, a sum of Rs242 million will be spent on the programme in both districts during financial year 2012-13.