With the last year’s budgetary allocation for education sector standing at Rs 4.56 billion, the Sindh government on Friday allocated Rs 7.733 billion for the sector in fiscal year 2011-12; an increase of at least 69.23 percent. At least two cadet colleges are to be established with one at Garhi Khuda Bux in Larkana and another in Benazirabad. More cadet colleges are also planned with one each in Mithi and Kakar. Quoting nation’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while presenting the provincial budget 2011-12, said the government is introducing a Minimum Funding Standard for Schools (MFSS).
“The districts have agreed on preparing school specific budgets, following the standards for non-salary component of school budgets. The government is also supporting the initiative of districts with a tied grant of Rs 1.79 billion,” said Shah. With the introduction of MFSS, the non-salary budget of schools will rise from the current year’s Rs 830 million to Rs 3.67 billion during the next fiscal year, which signifies a growth of 342 percent.
The major reforms in the education sector are continuing through the World Bank- and European Union-assisted Sindh Education Reform Programme (SERP), which focuses on increasing school participation and reducing gender and rural-urban disparities. The SERP has two components of financing: the first component of US$294 million for satisfactory achievement of disbursement-linked indicators; and the second of US$6 million for technical assistance. “In all, some US$205.54 million have been received so far,” said the finance minister.
Shah added that an agreement for a soft loan of additional US$50 million has been signed during the current financial year and both, WB and EU, are willing to continue the SERP in the second phase for another three years.