KARACHI, June 24: Top priority has been accorded to education in the provincial budget for the fiscal 2002-03, and the allocation under this head has been enhanced from Rs14 billion to Rs18 billion.

This was stated by the provincial education secretary, Nazar Hussain Mahar, while talking to newsmen here on Monday.

He also said that the non-salary section had also been enhanced from Rs660 million in 2001-02 to Rs1 billion in the fiscal 2002-03.

Mahar said that an endowment of Rs1 billion has been created to help finance the academic expenses of the poor but talented students from the province who would seek admission to the top 10 universities of the country.

The education secretary also pointed out that profit from the endowment amount would be further utilized to finance the educational expenses of the poor but talented students in the province who want to pursue higher education.

He said that the needs of all those would be catered to who would seek higher education, on the basis of merit.—APP