Punjab Slashes Education Budget for 9th Consecutive Year

[Realistic Change]

‘Punjab cuts education budget for 9th consecutive year’
The Newspaper's Staff Reporter — Updated about 15 hours ago

LAHORE: In its ninth consecutive budget, the PML-N government in Punjab has again decreased budget allocations for education.

“In 2013-14, the Punjab education budget was 26 per cent of the total provincial budget whereas only 18.6 per cent of the total budget in 2016-17 has been allocated for education,” says a non-government organisation (NGO), Alif Ailaan, in its Punjab education budget analysis session organised at a local hotel on Monday.

The session was told the Punjab government for the current fiscal year had allocated Rs312bn, which was 18.6pc of the total budget allocation. The budget allocation decreased from 21.4pc from the last year when the education budget was Rs310bn, about 21pc of the total provincial budget that had already decreased from 24pc in 2014-15, the organisation said.

“The percentage share of education in Punjab’s overall budget has seen downfall from 26 per cent in 2013-14 to 18.6 per cent in 2016-17,” it said.

Last year, under the development budget for school education, the government had allocated R32.8bn.

“Out of which, as of April 2016, the government had only been able to spend Rs14bn, which is just over 42pc. This reveals that the budgetary allocations are not getting transferred into meaningful spending. Consequently, the education indicators continue to show little progress in the province.”

“Unless the department and the ministry share constituency wise data, including development allocations, the province will continue to see constituencies being preferred over the actual need,” said MPA Sadia Sohail, adding that political participation in budget-making process was lacking.

“We need to correct our behaviours and need a priority-based political will regarding education. We need same education system and syllabus for all people.”

The session was also attended by Population and Welfare Minister Zakia Shah Nawaz, MNA Rana Muhammad Afzal and MPAs Najma Afzal, Khola Amber, Aleem Shah, Fatima Fareeha and Tamkeen Niazi.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2016



http://www.dawn.com/news/1267751/punjab-cuts-education-budget-for-9th-consecutive-year

 

[Realistic Change]

In latest budgets presented - allocation to Education sector vis-a-vis total Budget Outlay is as follows:

1. Punjab - 18.6% Proposed - 18.1% (Revised after Budget Discussions)

2. Sindh - 18.4%

3. KPK - 22.1% Proposed - 27.2% (Revised after Budget Discussions)

Total Budget Outlay for KPK 2016-17 was Rs.505 Billion - original allocation to Education was Rs.111.52 Billion which was later revised to Rs.137 Billion

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

That is because Private Schools are taking over.

 

[somebozo]

The income of Punjab has grown subsequently over the years so the percentage my have been slashed but what matters is the actual amount...crooks and manipulators always talk in percentage which is a relative term..where as stating the actual amount is an obsolete term..

 

[Stalwart]

unfortunately education is least priority as a nation.

 

[Realistic Change]

unfortunately education is least priority as a nation.

Is not even a priority - PMLN invests in it to be politically correct.

Danish Schools - anyone ?

 

[A.M.]

The income of Punjab has grown subsequently over the years so the percentage my have been slashed but what matters is the actual amount...crooks and manipulators always talk in percentage which is a relative term..where as stating the actual amount is an obsolete term..

First thing i thought of.

@Realistic Change Are you going to respond or just ignore this comment?

It looks like the amount increased from 310BN to 312BN year over year.

 

[iPhone]

The article headline is misleading. It says punjab slashed the education budget. But in the first paragraph its mentioned the last year's allocation for education stood at 310 billion rs. However, this year's budget allocation is 312 billion rs.

How is that a decrease? Because it doesn't match the percentage from the last year? That's called putting a negative spin on a positive story.

From this point on, every year the Pakistani budget amount will increase by billions. The budget allocation for each field will also increase. However, percentage wise the numbers would most likely decrease from the previous year but that does not mean less amount has been alloted.

 

[notorious_eagle]

The article headline is misleading. It says punjab slashed the education budget. But in the first paragraph its mentioned the last year's allocation for education stood at 310 billion rs. However, this year's budget allocation is 312 billion rs.

How is that a decrease? Because it doesn't match the percentage from the last year? That's called putting a negative spin on a positive story.

From this point on, every year the Pakistani budget amount will increase by billions. The budget allocation for each field will also increase. However, percentage wise the numbers would most likely decrease from the previous year but that does not mean less amount has been alloted.

No, this is called Basic Finance. You allocate your budget based on proportions, not the total value.

Has Punjab's population gone down? No, it has exploded and this is why the Budget should be allocated proportionately because the Federal Government provides money based on the population.

 

[haviZsultan]

No, this is called Basic Finance. You allocate your budget based on proportions, not the total value.

Has Punjab's population gone down? No, it has exploded and this is why the Budget should be allocated proportionately because the Federal Government provides money based on the population.

I agree. And everyday I hear news of the corruption and ineptness of the current government. Kind of makes you feel hopeless and helpless. We are idiots for voting in the sharif's and bhutto's over and over again. It is very unfortunate the way Pakistani people vote and the poor choice of political parties we have.

 

[Realistic Change]

In relative terms; if the literacy was going up and has reached 100% and we do not have 25 million kids outside the school system, and if average school education years is not 7.8 years for children in Pakistan as compared to 11 and 12 years in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, then absolute comparison YOY makes sense.

Until then - I do not think it makes sense as an example to spend on 13 Chief Minister's Secretariat Offices in the Lahore and it's vicinity but mere increase in Education Budget of 0.645% increase is sufficient if one is comparing 2016-17 vs 2015-16.

All this boils down to the right priorities for a country having one of the highest population growth rate.

 

[That Guy]

The income of Punjab has grown subsequently over the years so the percentage my have been slashed but what matters is the actual amount...crooks and manipulators always talk in percentage which is a relative term..where as stating the actual amount is an obsolete term..

Except, that's not true. Percentage is what matters, because it takes into account, everything that "total amount" ignores.

The budget total may have remained the same, but the decrease is worrisome. The population of youth has increased, and a budget loss means there are less resources to help properly teach them.

Basically, you have the same amount of resources, but for a larger population, and that is terrible.

 

[Realistic Change]

Just for some additional discussion:

 

[That Guy]

Just for some additional discussion:

View attachment 314670

That's a really sad figure.

 

[Realistic Change]

If people believe that decreasing (in % of Total Budget Outlay) the education budget for Punjab is justified from both micro and macro level perspectives and how Pakistan overall is faring - Punjab being 55% of Pakistan where 60% of schools lack basic facilities then I rest my case.

Indeed it is a very sad state but if Rulers focus on Education how would they prolong their tyrannical rule which is worse than Kingdom yet people call it Democracy.

I just added Nepal also in the comparison so PMLN supporters get the overall picture of the region.

I recall a conversation my grandfather used to narrate with an old friend of his who happened to be Governor of Punjab - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushtaq_Ahmed_Gurmani when my grandfather asked the then Governor why he has no road to his village - he said

"Am I a fool?!? That I allow road to be built to my village and open the roads for uneducated to seek education and challenge my rule - I will NEVER allow that"

Same thinking prevails in current leadership of Punjab which unfortunately is also the leadership of Pakistan - as we discuss a 60 year old quote of Ex Governor - and it's still relative today in 2016.

Older data as I do not have latest OOSC figures; if someone have it; then may add to this table:

I hope some members do not get super confused re Percentage and Absolute Numbers - Again