The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training while scrutinising the proposed Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects by the ministry expressed serious concerns over the dilapidated condition of educational institutions in the federal capital and reiterated its decision of not approving any new project unless repair and maintenance of existing schools is carried out.
The committee met with Rahila Magsi in the chair to scrutinise the PSDP projects, worth Rs 5 billion, proposed by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for the next financial year and suggest amendments, if necessary under Rules 166(7) of the Rules of Procedures and conduct of the Business 2012 in the Senate.
The committee was informed that allocation of budget is made under two heads i.e. recurring costs and PSDP. Recurring costs entail salaries. The committee was informed that 90 percent of this budget is exhausted in paying salaries.
The committee was informed that there are 8 ongoing projects while 12 more were approved, while 13 are waiting approval.
"You are going for construction more buildings, but who are responsible for the maintenance of existing buildings," said Senator Nauman Wazir, stressing that maintenance of 423 educational institutions should be carried out first.
He stressed the need to curb new projects and use funds to maintain running educational institutions in Islamabad.
Nauman proposed that the repair and maintenance of educational institutions should be carried out instead of building new schools. However education officials stated that there is shortage of schools and teachers and it is needed to build new educational institutions.
The committee recommended that all ongoing construction of schools should continue. The committee stressed the need for re-appropriation to protect the lives of students and teachers and said that it would formulate any legislation that is needed to support this cause.
The committee was informed that the Planning Division is responsible for re-appropriation; however, inter-head fund appropriation cannot be carried out.
The committee unanimously stressed the need for a survey to be conducted by the Ministry of Education regarding dilapidated schools within a month and if no action is taken after that then the concerned institution of this country would be responsible for any loss of life that occurs.
The meeting was attended amongst others by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Senator Najma Hameed, Senator Engr Rukhsana Zuberi, Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak, Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Senator Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani and senior officers from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and NAVTTC.
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