ISLAMABAD: Last year’s budget was not enough to ensure quality education in Badin. Still more than 300 schools are closed, 56 percent of students are still out of schools, 67 percent of schools still don’t have basic water facilities, 77 percent of schools don’t have electricity, 46 percent of schools do not have functional toilets, 55 percent of schools do not have a boundary wall and 28 percent of the primary schools have just one classroom in them, revealed in Alif Ailaan’s district ranking report 2016.
According to the 2016-17 budget, the school-specific budget allocated for 2,676 posts was Rs 94,027,000, but the total amount had not been released for primary and middle schools during the past four years. The allocated education budget for Badin’s primary schools was Rs 1,517,641,000, which consisted of salary and non-salary budget.
The salary budget was Rs 1,421,245,000 and non-salary was Rs 96,396,000 for 5,942 posts. At the higher secondary level, education budget for 329 posts was Rs 183,704,000, again divided into salary and non-salary categories. The salary budget was Rs 177,308,000 and non-salary budget was RS 6,396,000.
In the secondary education category, budget for 1,158 posts was Rs 803,798,000 – non-salary budget was Rs 34,940,000 and salary budget was Rs 768,858,000.
The administrative budget for 91 posts was Rs 70,430,000 – salary budget was Rs 62,204,000 and non-salary budget was Rs 8,226,000.
In the last year’s provincial budget, the government of Sindh allocated more than Rs 12 billion for ongoing and more than Rs 4 billion for new projects, while Rs 7.5 million were allocated for furniture and renovation of secondary/higher secondary schools in Badin, Thatta and Sujawal.
The tehsil education officer of Tando Bago, Badin, still doesn’t have an office, despite the fact that he is looking after 600 schools of the tehsil. A few months ago, his official computer and other material were stolen, which are yet to be recovered. He is currently working in other department’s office, the statement read.
Last year’s budget mostly consisted of salaries, but very low allocations were made for development. This time, Badin, Thatta and Sujawal districts need more budget for development of schools and quality education, the report said.
