2007 sees improvement in education sector
*Wednesday, January 02, 2008
By Adnan Lodhi*
LAHORE: The year 2007 witnessed development in the education sector in the Punjab and several progressive steps were taken in this regard.
The Punjab government allocated Rs 21,480 million for educational projects in its annual Development Plan 2007-08. The budget for education was 72 percent higher than the pervious year’s. A total of Rs 8,488 million was allocated for school education, Rs 9,936 million for higher education, Rs 954 million for special education, Rs 1,200 million for literacy, and Rs 902 million for sports in educational institutes. An amount of Rs 8,959 million was allocated for 333 ongoing development projects under school, higher education and public college educational programmes, while Rs 9,464 million was announced for 25 new programmes. The allocation of Rs 960 million was announced for the 12 ongoing development programmes for Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education (NFBE) and an amount of Rs 240 million was allocated for 16 new literacy programmes. The Punjab government prioritised the teacher training, construction and improvement of 275 schools and construction of computer labs in 2007. More than 500 schools have been provided computer labs so far.
The major issues that popped up now and again in 2007 were the school level examination system, a package for teachers, free education and unavailability of school buildings. Out of Rs 21 billion allocated for the Punjab, Rs 170 million was allocated to provide basic facilities at school level in all districts.
The education analysts were of the opinion that the allocated Rs 102 billion was by no means sufficient to meet the challenges faced by the education sector.
Development at high school level: The government set a target to enroll around 11 million students in schools within the province. A project to set up libraries in schools is underway in collaboration with the German government. The pay scale of teachers was improved and 20,000 new schoolteachers were appointed in 2007.
In the summer vacation, an issue of collecting a three months’ fee surfaced in primary schools. Schoolteachers wanted to collect the total fee the before holidays while parents wanted to pay the fee on a monthly basis.
The unavailability of course books in government schools and the issue of whether hold the matriculation examinations by parts or composite repeatedly haunted educationalists, teachers and students as well.
Like the last year, the government set a target to construct and upgrade 90 colleges and establish libraries in 3,251 colleges. The government failed to meet the objective last year and the snail-paced progress this year speaks for the same outcome. Apart from the target, the government also planned to renovate 140 public colleges under the Missing Facilities Programme.
An Education Department official said the government allocated Rs 25 billion for college education under the Punjab Sector Reform Programmes. He said in 1,422 colleges teachers were trained, libraries were set up and buildings were repaired or constructed.
Higher education: Several developments were made in the higher education area. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) introduced the Tenure Track System. **Several universities, including the University of Engineering and Technology, the Government College University, the Punjab University (PU) and the Lahore College for Women University, set up sub-campuses in other cities. **
Various universities launched four-years undergraduate studies.
Around **1,000 students from various universities were sent to foreign countries for higher education on scholarships and about 700 students were sent abroad to attend conferences and lectures.
The HEC hired about 200 foreign qualified faculty members in various programmes.** The HEC also introduced the anti-plagiarism policy in 2007, which proved a moot point between the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association and the HEC.
Political activism in universities: A large number of universities’ students became politically active after the chief justice issue. The students of twenty-one public and private universities formed the Student Action Committee to protest against the government in an organised way.
After the arrest of Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan while at the PU, most of the PU students protested against the Islami Jamiat Taliba (IJT). The movement, however, was not able to uproot the IJT because most of the teachers were sympathetic towards it.
Religious issue at PU: Shia students protested against the IJT’s alleged involvement in banning Shia students from praying on campus. They were barred from praying in hostel, so they began praying on the road. They were stopped after two days.
This is more like it. Vote for those who provide not those who plunder.
