KARACHI, June 19: The Sindh government has allocated Rs 217 million for 67 new educational schemes under the PSDP (Public Sector Development Projects) during the fiscal year 2003-2004.

The government has allocated a total amount of Rs 1664.127 million under the PSDP in Sindh for education sector.

A maximum of 29 new schemes have been identified under the head of college education, while another 14 for secondary education and 11 for elementary/primary education, which involved a total budgetary allocation of Rs 149.552 million.

According to the budget documents, there would be no fresh expenditure on any new scheme in the Education Foundation, Special Education, Technical Education, Physical Education, Education Administration, Priority Programmes, Educational Sector Reforms heads, while an amount of Rs 4.650 million is likely to be spent under the education and literacy sector.

The government also plans to spend Rs 710.920 million on 127 ongoing elementary/primary education schemes, while Rs 475.560 million would be spent on 146 ongoing schemes pertaining to secondary, technical and college education.

An amount of Rs 5.342 million has been allocated for new ongoing and Rs 10 million for new schemes in cyclone/flood affected areas.

An amount of Rs 148.279 has been allocated for the Decentralised Elementary Education Project (DEEP) from its own exchequer, while another Rs 500 million would come from the ADB which is funding the project.

An amount of Rs 10 million has been allocated for the promotion of science, culture and arts activities in educational institutions of Sindh.

Another Rs 23.614, including 11 million on Revenue side, has been allocated for promotion of compulsory education.

A total of 48.400 million would be spent for ongoing teachers’ education schemes while under the new scheme head, Rs 4 million would be spent for addition/improvement of Government College of Education, Block 15, Federal B Area.

The budget also envisages establishment of a provincial educational assessment centre.

There is also provision for procurement and distribution of resource material in elementary colleges of education, restoration of historical buildings of DJ Science College and NJV higher secondary school in Karachi.

In the case of Karachi, under new schemes, 10 middle schools would be upgraded to high school, classrooms would be added to 40 existing elementary schools, buildings would be constructed for 20 shelter-less schools, and three primary schools would be constructed, among other schemes.

Allocations have also been made for establishment of girls colleges at Gadap, Safoora Goth, Buffer Zone, Jehangir Road East, Model Colony and Kharadar, while male colleges in all 13 new colleges would be established at Sharifabad (F B Area), Lower Gizri, Surjani Town, Sharafi Goth, North Nazimabad (Block-G), Scheme No-33 Super Highway, Baldia Town, Metrovile Site and Qasba Colony.