KARACHI, June 27: In the first 11 months of the current financial year the Sindh education department has been able to obtain only 45 per cent of the total amount allocated for educational schemes under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for 2003-04.

According to some sources, the Sindh government had allocated Rs450 million for ADP schemes in the education sector. Of this amount only Rs138.484 million was spent on the ground until May. Another Rs63.5 million was released for the Asian Development Bank-assisted Decentralized Elementary Education Project (Deep).

Referring to the poor rate of release of funds by the finance department, a source attributed the situation to the lack of initiative on the part of officials at both the provincial and district levels.

He pointed out that the department could bring into play only Rs202 million, including Rs63.5 million which was meant for Deep and which remains to be utilized. This amount was still in the department's bank account, added the source.

As per a statement prepared by the department for the period from July 2003 to May 2004, progress in the projects related to early childhood education, promotion of compulsory education, incentives for teachers, support to private educational institutions/Madressahs, rehabilitation of special children/ special education institutions, provincial educational assessment centre and restoration of historical educational buildings was negligible either due to the non-release of funds or slow implementation.

The government had allocated an amount of Rs5 million for therestoration of the buildings of DJ Science College and NJV Higher Secondary School but no amount was released for the purpose until May.

The department sources said a detailed feasibility report pertaining to the renovation of the historic DJ college building had been approved at a proper forum and a contractor had also been selected for the purpose.

However, no progress could be made due to the non-availability of funds and a permission from the Committee on Heritage Buildings.

Against a total allocation of Rs7 million for college education, an amount of Rs2 million was released until May.

Under the head of promotion of girls education an amount of Rs4.11 million was allocated while an amount of Rs2.96 million was released. But no expenditure could be made until May, said the source.

When contacted the secretary of the department, Ghulam Ali Pasha, said 70 per cent of the approved money would be utilized before the termination of the financial year. Some reports about utilization of funds were still to be received, he said, adding that implementation of some of the schemes remained slow as the officials wanted to spend the available amount in a proper way and not merely for the sack of incurring expenses as observed in some past schemes.

He said funds meant for Deep could not be utilized as certain clearances from the ADB, the funding agency, could not be obtained in time. He said work on the restoration of historic buildings had already been initiated with the involvement of the district governments. However, progress reports were yet to be received.