Speaking at a press conference alongside Information Minister Azma Bukhari, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat announced a massive boost to the province’s education budget. The Minister stated that Punjab has increased its education development budget by a record 400%, jumping from Rs32 billion to Rs110 billion. A similar significant increase, up to 500%, is planned for the higher education budget as well.
Minister Hayat emphasized Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s belief in borderless education, contrasting this with what he described as hostility from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, alleging they are instructing their higher education department not to cooperate with students. He urged KP to at least allow its students to receive support from other provinces if they are unable to provide laptops and scholarships themselves. Under Chief Minister Nawaz’s direction, Punjab is offering scholarships to 5,000 students from other provinces.
Highlighting the PMLN government’s achievements, Rana Sikandar Hayat stated they have introduced 5,006 development schemes, with specific reforms in education, compared to the previous PTI government’s 1,004 schemes. He noted that significant steps have been taken to eliminate corruption and ensure transparency, including implementing an e-transfer policy, permanently appointing VCs, education officers, principals, and school heads, eliminating 1.1 million fake enrollments, and achieving 2.6 million NADRA-verified enrollments.
According to Rana Sikandar, his administration has significantly reduced the teacher shortage and enrolled 2.6 million students. He also mentioned the formation of a commission for Early Childhood Education and the construction of 12,000 ECE classrooms, which have enrolled 450,000 children. The Minister also stated that the School Meal Programme has demonstrably improved enrolment and student health.
Furthermore, Minister Hayat proudly announced significant cost savings in construction, bringing the cost of a classroom down from Rs5 million to Rs1.25 million each, allowing them to build 400 rooms. He emphasized the transformative impact of scholarship and laptop schemes on the lives of young people. Finally, he reported that a historic crackdown on cheating mafias had been undertaken, with plans to eliminate practical exam malpractices next year. As a welcome announcement, he concluded by noting that 26 coasters would be provided for girls’ colleges in urban areas.
