The government anticipates reducing education sector funding by Rs. 51 billion (61 percent) in the next federal budget.
The overall education budget, including the Higher Education Commission (HEC), is proposed to be reduced from Rs. 83 billion to Rs. 32 billion for the next fiscal year.
Rs. 21 billion to Higher Education
The government has given Rs. 21 billion to HEC, a significant reduction from Rs. 60 billion last year.
The Ministry of Education has proposed a slightly higher allocation of Rs. 9.75 billion, up from Rs. 8.5 billion last year. Thirteen of the fifteen new higher education projects planned for the upcoming fiscal year have yet to be funded.
New Higher Education Projects
According to sources, no funds have been assigned for the Prime Minister’s new laptop scheme, whereas Rs. 350 million are being set aside for the ongoing Youth Laptop Scheme Phase III.
The federal government spent Rs. 100 million towards the Rs. 25 billion educational outreach project.
Sector’s 144
Just three of the sector’s 144 ongoing projects have been allocated Rs. 2 billion or more in funds, while the remaining 78 have been allocated only Rs. 20 million each in the upcoming budget.
The upcoming budget does not include funding for 13 older higher education projects.
Meanwhile, some funds have been allocated for specific programmes. Rs. 3.5 billion has been set aside for MS, MPhil, PhD students, and other scholarships.
PhD Scholarships
While PhD scholarships under the Pakistan-US partnership Knowledge Corridor will get Rs. 2.3 billion.
The development of the higher education sector has been allocated Rs. 4.62 billion. A plan to establish a National Cyber Security Academy for Rs. 600 million is also being considered, according to sources.
National Cyber Security Academy
Other specific allocations include Rs. 20 million for the Rs. 5.82 billion Narowal National Sports City project, Rs. 50 million for the Rs. 7.39 billion Pakistan-China Joint Research Centre, Rs. 45 million for Afghan student scholarships, and Rs. 250 million for scholarships for 1,600 students in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
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