Launch of Pakistan Defence Party

[VCheng]

Literacy Rate: 59% (2016 fig)
Total amount of students: 97,500,000
Primary Education: 22,650,000
Secondary Education: 2,884,400 (Does not seem right)
Post Secondary: 1,949,000

Going of the data above in total Pakistan would need around 580 - 600 schools for secondary education (considering that one school holds 5,000 students) however I really dispute the figure given above for secondary education in Pakistan... Surely it must be higher.
Note to add: The £5M figure I gave included the land donated by the local counsel and that high schools in the UK are changing to academies meaning they are partly funded by the private sector. I'm sure businesses such as Bahria Town would love to sponsor though.

So what does your proposal cost, in your estimate, and how does that compare to the present budget being spent on education? What are you ideas, with estimates, as to how they can be financed?

 

[The Diplomat]

So what does your proposal cost, in your estimate, and how does that compare to the present budget being spent on education? What are you ideas, with estimates, as to how they can be financed?

Well the education budget is around $8B, you talked about considering the price to be £1M ($1,316,605) however lets just say that equipment costs a lot and the total cost of one school is around £2.5M ($3,291,512 or 346,431,690 Rs).
If the price is £2.5M then the total cost of 600 schools will be £240M. Teacher training will also be required. If teachers train at world level then the cost should be around £10K per teacher. Estimated amount of 70-80 teachers will be needed per school.
So for one school's training will be £800k.

Summary:
School Construction cost: £2.5M (Per School).
For 600 Schools Construction Cost: £240M
Teacher Training per School: £800,000
Teacher Training for 600 Schools: £480M

Total: £720M (Cost for only High Schools, Grade: 7 to 11 A-Levels).

As for financing this, there are several methods.

• Put a tax on unhealthy items, such as cigarettes. I know that it's addictive and therefor will likely be inelastic and will not reduce the amount being consumed by alot however the quantity demanded will contract and shift to the left and will also bring in revenue for the government.
• There are several sectors in Pakistan that are taxable by 0%, an example being agriculture. That should be changed to a reasonable amount, something like 20%.
• Lahore has hit the news recently for pollution, lets put a pollution tax on vehicles producing a certain number of carbon emissions.
• Increase the amount of subsidies being given to new businesses in the country, this will result in higher incomes for the country as a whole and will result in real GDP shifting to the right (non-economic term: increase in GDP).
• Basic thing would be to do is to have tax reforms.

 

[VCheng]

Well the education budget is around $8B, you talked about considering the price to be £1M ($1,316,605) however lets just say that equipment costs a lot and the total cost of one school is around £2.5M ($3,291,512 or 346,431,690 Rs).
If the price is £2.5M then the total cost of 600 schools will be £240M. Teacher training will also be required. If teachers train at world level then the cost should be around £10K per teacher. Estimated amount of 70-80 teachers will be needed per school.
So for one school's training will be £800k.

Summary:
School Construction cost: £2.5M (Per School).
For 600 Schools Construction Cost: £240M
Teacher Training per School: £800,000
Teacher Training for 600 Schools: £480M

Total: £720M (Cost for only High Schools, Grade: 7 to 11 A-Levels).

As for financing this, there are several methods.

• Put a tax on unhealthy items, such as cigarettes. I know that it's addictive and therefor will likely be inelastic and will not reduce the amount being consumed by alot however the quantity demanded will contract and shift to the left and will also bring in revenue for the government.
• There are several sectors in Pakistan that are taxable by 0%, an example being agriculture. That should be changed to a reasonable amount, something like 20%.
• Lahore has hit the news recently for pollution, lets put a pollution tax on vehicles producing a certain number of carbon emissions.
• Increase the amount of subsidies being given to new businesses in the country, this will result in higher incomes for the country as a whole and will result in real GDP shifting to the right (non-economic term: increase in GDP).
• Basic thing would be to do is to have tax reforms.

And that is just for high schools, and does not include annual running costs. Already you are approaching two billion pounds:

So 2.5 million per school, times 600 schools = 2.5*600 = 1,500 million (or 1.5 billion) (not 240 million)
And training is 0.8 million per school, times 600 schools = 0.8*600 = 480 million (or 0.48 billion)

Raising an extra two billion pounds is going to take serious measures, which are not adequately supported by your subsequent proposals. Tax reforms might do the trick, but they need broad political support to pull off. After all, even Martial Law shied away from doing this during periods of absolute rule.

 

[The Diplomat]

So 2.5 million per school, times 600 schools = 2.5*600 = 1,500 million (or 1.5 billion) (not 240 million)

Oh yeah, forgive me. Was in between several tabs, probably copied the wrong number and went along with it.

 

[VCheng]

Oh yeah, forgive me. Was in between several tabs, probably copied the wrong number and went along with it.

The numbers still remain impossible to finance, sadly.

 

[The Diplomat]

The numbers still remain impossible to finance, sadly.

I agree however there are solutions still. The cost is for 600 schools. We can still produce a few and the children who get the best grades get in, maybe?

 

[VCheng]

I agree however there are solutions still. The cost is for 600 schools. We can still produce a few and the children who get the best grades get in, maybe?

The last thing Pakistan's education system needs is more elitism. Getting millions of children currently without any access into basic schooling should be the top priority.

 

[313ghazi]

I want to be kashmir minister. Offer me the post and I will give my my dual national status. Post election of course.

 

[The Diplomat]

The last thing Pakistan's education system needs is more elitism. Getting millions of children currently without any access into basic schooling should be the top priority.

It's not elitism; the most capable students no matter of financial background get to enter the school... It will also increase school capacities...

I want to be kashmir minister. Offer me the post and I will give my my dual national status. Post election of course.

Were you born in the UK or Pakistan if you don't mind me asking.

 

[313ghazi]

It's not elitism; the most capable students no matter of financial background get to enter the school... It will also increase school capacities...


Were you born in the UK or Pakistan if you don't mind me asking.

Born in the UK, dil in the PK.

@The Diplomat @Syed.Ali.Haider

I don't think the cost of building a school should be so high. For a start I think the state could get the below materials at cost price or for free;

Timber, sand rock, the land to build on (free)
Cement and steel (cost price from state owned companies)

Also a lot of the architecture and engineering could be done using qualified civil servants.

Transportation of materials at cost price using state owned vehicles and personnel.

Even the contracts for labour and skilled specialists could be at a cheaper rate due to scale.

Anything the state has to buy from the market it could reduce cost buy purchasing in bulk.

 

[VCheng]

It's not elitism; the most capable students no matter of financial background get to enter the school... It will also increase school capacities...

Nonetheless, getting more children into primary education should take precedence.

Born in the UK, dil in the PK.

@The Diplomat @Syed.Ali.Haider

I don't think the cost of building a school should be so high. For a start I think the state could get the below materials at cost price or for free;

Timber, sand rock, the land to build on (free)
Cement and steel (cost price from state owned companies)

Also a lot of the architecture and engineering could be done using qualified civil servants.

Transportation of materials at cost price using state owned vehicles and personnel.

Even the contracts for labour and skilled specialists could be at a cheaper rate due to scale.

Anything the state has to buy from the market it could reduce cost buy purchasing in bulk.

Even then, there is a cost to building and running a school, which has to be financed somehow.

 

[The Diplomat]

Born in the UK, dil in the PK.

@The Diplomat @Syed.Ali.Haider

I don't think the cost of building a school should be so high. For a start I think the state could get the below materials at cost price or for free;

Timber, sand rock, the land to build on (free)
Cement and steel (cost price from state owned companies)

Also a lot of the architecture and engineering could be done using qualified civil servants.

Transportation of materials at cost price using state owned vehicles and personnel.

Even the contracts for labour and skilled specialists could be at a cheaper rate due to scale.

Anything the state has to buy from the market it could reduce cost buy purchasing in bulk.

Bulk buying could defiantly help reduce costs however I don't think timber and other construction equipment will be free.
Land will have to be re-bought by the government and for that the government usually has to pay a higher than market value price.

Nonetheless, getting more children into primary education should take precedence.

I agree, we should concentrate on Primary education as well, if not the same then more.
Primary is what makes or breaks a child, the early part of life determine if your future personality and educational skills.

 

[VCheng]

I agree, we should concentrate on Primary education as well, if not the same then more.
Primary is what makes or breaks a child, the early part of life determine if your future personality and educational skills.

And yet tens of millions of schoolchildren have no access at all, and "as many as 44% children between the ages of five and 16 are still out of school":

https://www.dawn.com/news/1319300

 

[313ghazi]

Bulk buying could defiantly help reduce costs however I don't think timber and other construction equipment will be free.
Land will have to be re-bought by the government and for that the government usually has to pay a higher than market value price.


I agree, we should concentrate on Primary education as well, if not the same then more.
Primary is what makes or breaks a child, the early part of life determine if your future personality and educational skills.

I might be showing my ignorance here but doesn't the state own land? Could it not do compulsory purchases and just swap land for land?

Again similarly doesn't the state own forests, from which it could cut timber relatively free of cost?

 

[The Diplomat]

I might be showing my ignorance here but doesn't the state own land? Could it not do compulsory purchases and just swap land for land?

Again similarly doesn't the state own forests, from which it could cut timber relatively free of cost?

I might be showing my ignorance here but doesn't the state own land? Could it not do compulsory purchases and just swap land for land?

Again similarly doesn't the state own forests, from which it could cut timber relatively free of cost?

Well yes the state does own land however probably not in the location sutiable for a school of a large size, chances are the state will have to force buy the land for which it usually has to offer a higher sum than the market value. They will have to compulsory purchase land, swaps don’t take place.

Green belt areas would stop deforestation taking place and the few areas where cutting down trees are allowed will likley be owned by the private sector for which the government will have to pay for the services and goods. If a commitment is made the government will be able to buy raw materials very cheap as government are unlikely not to pay (low risk, A rated loans).

Hope it helped!