Reiterating government’s commitment to improve and expand quality education in the country, Minister of Education Eng Balighur Rehman said they are making maximum investment to achieve the stipulated targets, set by the United Nations.
Addressing a seminar on “Education for All” at the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS), he said the UN asks for four percent of country’s GDP and 15-20 percent of total budget to education, and the government has achieved more than that.
“Two years back, education sector budget in Balochistan was 11 percent, which is now 26 percent of the entire budget. Similarly, in Punjab its 28 percent; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 27 percent and Sindh have dedicated 25 percent budget to education sector,” he said.
Rehman said the current allocation to the Higher Education (HEC) has been increased tremendously and current year’s releases would be more than Rs 80 billion, “and this trend will keep on”.
The seminar was organised by Member National Assembly (MNA) Asiya Nasir in collaboration with German political foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
KAS Resident Director Ronny Heine emphasised, “No nation can progress if its people are not educated,” as education provides the base and plays leadership role in the society. Heine said, “To create this awareness and endeavor to provide a platform, KAS takes initiatives.”
“It’s essential to have a substantial number of children in schools ,” MNA Asiya Nasir said in her welcome address, adding although a lot is being done in education sector “much much more needs to be done.”
The leadership has showed resolve and the commitment to improve the education sector” and it is showing better result, the Minister further said adding “We must acknowledge the improvements.”
Stressing on the importance of enhancing the quality of education, the Minister said: A lot of good things are coming up, for instance, “Article 25-A of the Constitution”, which says that “every child should be in school.”
About the National Council of Curriculum and the Inter-provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPMC) that meets quarterly, Baligur Rehman said they have invited all the stakeholders: “So let’s get together to set the quality standards” in education sector.
