Record increase in education budget, says Mujtaba

LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said the government has provided funds on priority basis for the development of education sector and record increase has been made in the budget of education in phases.
He said the grant had also been provided for achieving the Millennium Development Goals so that a peaceful and healthy society could be promoted by providing latest facilities of education to the people.
He said the menace of terrorism, poverty and unemployment could be overcome by providing opportunities of education to students of every schools of thought.
He said the government had provided Rs. 310.2 billion to education department which was 27 percent of provincial budget.
According to a handout issued on Thursday, the minister, talking to various delegations, said that under Schools Reforms Roadmap, enrolement of every child of the province to school would be ensured till 2018 and required funds would be provided for the success of reforms programme in education department. He said that under the Chief Minister's Reforms Roadmap, about 92 percent attendance of students and teachers in schools while 96 percent ongoing facilities and inspection of schools per month had been ensured.
Earlier, attendance of students and teachers was 60 percent and ratio of existing facilities and inspection of 62 percent in schools, he added.
He said that during current financial year, computer labs besides setting up of 990 high schools, provision of missing facilities in 7,500 schools, reconstruction of buildings of 4,727 schools, construction of 24,500 additional rooms in schools and 500 new schools would be opened.
The minister said that position holder male and female students were invited to Murree with guard of honour and sent to international universities.
He said British educationist Sir Michael Barbar had appreciated educational reforms of Punjab government and said that due to reform programme continuing in collaboration with the Punjab government and DFID, the ratio of attendance of teachers in schools had reached the level of schools of England.
He said the Punjab government considered promotion of education as development and record funds had been provided for schools and higher education.
Moreover, grant and cooperation were also provided to educational institutions for the promotion of fine art and other extracurricular activities in universities, he added.