LAHOREPunjab Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said his government had allocated more fund for education than other provincial governments saying provision of quality education was the top priority of the Punjab government. He said this while talking to media at a press conference and inaugural of the Development
By our correspondents
June 17, 2015
LAHORE Punjab Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said his government had allocated more fund for education than other provincial governments saying provision of quality education was the top priority of the Punjab government. He said this while talking to media at a press conference and inaugural of the Development Resource Centre at the Directorate of Staff Development (DSD) on Tuesday. Rana Mashhood further said the Punjab government had earmarked record 27 percent budget for education in financial year 2015-16 whereas KPK allocated 19.6 percent and Sindh 19.5 percent. He said besides school education, higher education and special education budget for Tevta and others came to Rs 400 billion. Project Director DSD Ehsan Bhutta, Principal Adviser German International Development (GIZ) Nighat Lone, Dr Digma and Director British Council Tony Fishers were also present. Rana Mashhood also said special attention was being paid to the teachers’ training adding the role of DSD was commendable in this regard. He also said Punjab Education Foundation was running 4,500 schools under the public-private partnership and this number would increase to 6,000 this year. He said 500 new primary schools would be constructed while four new Daanish Schools would be opened in the backward areas in the next financial year. He said that Rs two billion had been added to Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. He said that schools were being shifted to solar energy in those areas where electricity was not available. The minister also claimed that the education department did not return a penny in existing budget and utilised 93 percent budget whereas remaining seven percent would be transferred and utilised next year. He said objection was raised against the development projects of Punjab but these projects were for common people. He also said third party audit had also been conducted. Talking about the ongoing protest by Muttahida Mahaz Asataza Punjab (MMAP), the minister said the protesters were not representatives of teachers. He said all the genuine demands of teachers had been accepted.
