HEC Gets Lion Share of Over 72PC - Provinces may raise education budget up to 3pc: Dar

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD- Higher Education Commission (HEC) has got over 72 per cent of the total education budget announced by Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in his budget speech in the National Assembly.

Of the total Rs98 billion education budget, earmarked for the next fiscal year budget (2015-16) under the head of education sector’s development and non-development projects, the HEC’s share comes to Rs71bn.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the provinces had agreed in the recent National Economic Council (NEC) meeting to increase education spending from 1.8pc to 3pc of the GDP.  “It is, however, tricky business”, he remarked.

According to documents, the education budget for the next financial year has been increased by 13pc as compared to last year’s Rs86bn. But, the allocation for the education ministry has been decreased by Rs1bn.

The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has been allocated Rs2.2bn under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) as against last year’s Rs3.5bn.

However, officials of the federal education ministry were shocked when the NEC rejected their Rs1bn education sector reforms proposal for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) institutions and Rs300 million for the Basic Education Community Schools project.

Under the circumstances, it seems that the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) will continue to look after schools and colleges in Islamabad, instead of the education ministry.