LAHORE: The Punjab government has allocated Rs391 billion for education in the financial year 2020-21.

Of Rs391bn, a sum of Rs350.1bn has been set aside for the school education department. The current expenditure will get Rs357bn and Rs34.55bn will be for development.

Out of Rs350.1bn school education budget, Rs27.6bn have been earmarked for development and scholarships to 500,000 girls and free textbooks. An amount of Rs13.5bn has been specified for school councils and Rs3bn for expenditure of Daanish Schools.

A sum of Rs22bn will be spent on public private partnership model including Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) and Punjab Education Initiative Management Authority (PEIMA).

The government had started several other initiatives including Rs 200 million for up-gradation of schools and construction of additional classrooms, Rs168m for provision of water supply scheme and other allied facilities for Cadet College Essa Khel, Mianwali.

The higher education department has been allocated Rs37.56bn out of which Rs3.9bn will be spent on development.

Higher education projects include seven public sector universities. Rs 150 million have been allocated for establishment of Khwaja Farid University of Engineering and Information Technology Rahim Yar Khan, Rs150m for new higher education institutions, Rs123m for provision of furniture and library books to the existing colleges, Rs110m for construction of building of Engineering College of University of Sargodha, Rs105m for construction of building of Women University Sialkot, Rs100m for establishment of Government Women College Ranjan Shah Tehsil Karor Lal Esan Layyah, Rs100m for establishment of University of Mianwali, Rs100m for Punjab Education Endowment Funds (PEEF) and Rs95m for University of Chakwal.

Literacy and non-formal basic education have been allocated Rs3bn. Special education will get Rs800m. An amount of Rs74m has been specified for construction of building of Govt Shadab Training Institute for mentally challenged children, Gujranwala, Rs61m for construction of building of Government Special Education Centre, Kamoki, Rs56m for strengthening of special education institution in Punjab, Rs55m for construction of building of Government Special Education Centre, Hazro district, Attock and Rs55m for Government Special Education Centre, Okara.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2020