LAHORE:
The Punjab government has allocated 24.4 per cent of the non-development budget for the financial year 2025-26 to the education sector.
The government allocated Rs148 billion for the development of the sector, marking a 137% hike over last year, and Rs661 billion for non-development expenses.
The allocation pertains to the school, higher and literacy and non-formal education departments.
The budget includes allocations for the laptop scheme and Honhar scholarship programme in addition to provision of facilities and construction of hostels, libraries and computer labs.
The government allocated Rs15 billion for the scholarship programme. The allocation last year was of Rs4.5 billion.
According to the budget documents, it plans to distribute 112,000 laptops among students during the year through an allocation of Rs15.1 billion for the CM Punjab Laptop Scheme. Last year, Rs37 billion had been allocated for the scheme and 40,000 students had benefitted do far.
In the annual budget, the Punjab government has introduced the Punjab Education Initiative Management Authority ( PEIMA) and allocated Rs40 billion for the construction of new classrooms, IT labs, upgrade of school buildings and provision of facilities.
The government also allocated Rs4 billion for outsourcing government schools during the year. An allocation of Rs5 billion has been proposed to check the drop out ratio from government schools.
The Punjab government allocated Rs5 billion for a project to set up ‘schools of eminence’ of international standard and Rs3 billion to expand establishment of centres of excellence of early childhood education.
It allocated Rs35 billion for the Punjab Education Foundation to support low-income private schools for educating needy children.
In addition, Rs3.7 billion has been allocated for the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority ( PECTA) and Rs6 billion for the CM School Meal Programme, for which Rs7 billion had been spent last year.
The allocations include Rs2 billion for constructing eight government associate colleges for girls and the same amount for digital labs in public sector colleges.
An allocation of Rs25 billion has been proposed for higher education along with Rs2 billion for the construction of Mian Nawaz Sharif Engineering and Technology University in Kasur.
In the coming year, Rs5 billions will be allocated for special education, while Rs1.8 billions will be spent on providing transport services in special education schools.
