–Government might not release funds for the project’s third phase
ISLAMABAD: Due to the government’s financial woes, the work on Prime Minister’s Education Sector Reforms Programme (PMESRP) has slowed down, Pakistan Today has learned.
The project’s second phase was supposed to be completed last year but is stuck in a limbo because funds have not been released for it.
Sources told Pakistan Today that although the government had declared reforming the education sector as one of its top priorities, it is not likely to spend much on the programme because of its ongoing financial constraints. Sources also said that although the government might release funds for the project’s second phase under which 200 educational institutes are to be upgraded, it might not release funds for its third phase. This was further confirmed by Project Director Waqas Ahmed, who told Pakistan Today that the government has promised to release Rs845 million within two weeks, adding that he is uncertain whether the government would be interested in completing the project. He said that the work on the project is almost at a standstill because contractors have not been paid their outstanding dues.
Sources said that although the previous government had launched the programme with dedication, it lost interest in the project because of its other priorities and the emergence of the Panama Papers scandal. The project was the brainchild of former premier Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz but suffered a huge blow due to Nawaz’s ouster by the Supreme Court (SC). Another factor that hurt the project was the lack of interest shown by former Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, who was more focused on defending the former premier at multiple forums.
Sources further said that ever since the CADD ministry was dissolved, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has been looking after the project.
The project was launched to upgrade 422 schools and colleges in the federal capital which were functioning under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) but far only 22 schools and colleges have been upgraded.
Pakistan Today also tried to contact Ministry of Professional and Technical Training Joint Educational Advisor Muhammad Rafique Tahir but no response was received at the time of filing of this report.
