Rs811.8bn allocated for education

LAHORE:With a total outlay of Rs811.8 billion, the provincial education budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026 presented on Monday has grown by 21.2 per cent as compared to the last fiscal year when the Punjab government had allocated Rs669.83 billion.

While the major chunk of over Rs660 billion has been allocated as the non-development budget, Rs148.5 billion has been allocated for the education development plan, accounting for 18.3% of the total education budget. Of this Rs148.5 billion, Rs100 billion is designated for school education, Rs39.5 billion for higher education, Rs5 billion for special education, and Rs4 billion for literacy and non-formal education in the Annual Development Plan (ADP) 2025-26.

A total of Rs40 billion has been allocated for Punjab Education Initiatives Management Authority (PEIMA) for construction of additional classrooms, IT labs and provision of missing facilities in public schools through Schools Management Councils. Rs39 billion has been set aside to support the participation of private schools under PEF and PEIMA. The budget for higher education institutions has increased, leading to an allocation of 25 billion rupees for their development.

Additionally, Rs15 billion has been earmarked for the Punjab Higher Education Laptop Scheme, along with another Rs 15 billion for the CM Punjab Honhaar Scholarship Program. Rs2 billion has been allocated for the establishment of Mian Nawaz Sharif Engineering & Technology University, Kasur.

Besides many new and ongoing schemes, a budget has been allocated for the Chief Minister's Initiatives in the education sector. In the budget for school education, the Chief Minister's Initiative for Punjab Schools Meal Programme has been allocated Rs7billion under the schools budget, while Rs5 billion has been set aside for the establishment of Schools of Eminence using existing infrastructure in all districts.

In higher education, under the new scheme Rs10 billion has been designated while Rs2 billion has been allocated for the establishment of new colleges across the province. For special education, Rs673 million has been allocated for the construction and establishment of an autism school in Lahore.