During the fiscal year 2023-24, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would have access to Rs59.7 billion from the federal government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to fund both existing and planned initiatives.
The education budget totals about Rs52.8 billion, with another Rs6.9 billion allocated for new initiatives, according to the document released on Friday.
For example, the Main Campus Development of Bacha Khan University in Charsadda and the Development of the University of Buner in Swari (Phase-I) each received 500 million, and the Award of Allama Muhammad Iqbal 3,000 Scholarships to Afghan Students received Rs1.5 billion (PM’s Directive).
In addition, Rs500 million will go towards revamping University College at Zhob (BUITEMS) and Rs500 million would fund the Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Centre for Basic Sciences.
Govt. will grant educational scholarships
As Furthermore, the Fulbright Scholarships Support Programme HEC-USAID (Phase-III) and the Innovative Centre and Software Park at the University of Engineering & Technology Sub Campus Lahore (Revised) both have a budget of Rs1 billion.
Overseas Scholarship for Master’s/Master’s (Ph.D.) in Selected Fields (Phase III)-HEC has also been allocated Rs3.23 billion.
An impressive Rs3 billion has been set aside for the Ph.D. Scholarship Programme as part of the Pak-US Knowledge Corridor (Phase-I)-(Revised), while Rs800 million has been set aside for the Strengthening and Expansion of the University of Gujrat (UN) and Allied Campuses (Revised).
In addition, the government allocated Rs1.5 billion for the development of the National Sports City (NSC) in Narowal and Rs740.902 million for the improvement of the Core Network and the expansion of PERN footprints via CPEC Optical Fibre (PERN-III-HEC).
The government has given Rs1.2 billion to upgrade laboratory facilities at five top engineering universities (UET Peshawar, Taxila, Lahore, Khuzdar, and NED Karachi) as part of new initiatives.
In addition, Rs500 million has been allocated for improving academic facilities at NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, and for expanding access to higher education for students in Balochistan and tribal areas (Phase-III). The Institute of Sports would be funded with Rs500 million.
To read our article about “USAID announces new $16.4m to aid flood recovery in Pakistan” click here.
