ISLAMABAD: The federal government is currently spending a mere 2 per cent of the GDP on the education sector which will be increased to 4 per cent by 2018.

Besides highlighting the challenges the education sector faced, the Economic Survey 2013-14 expected a 2.7 per cent increase in the enrolment to 42.2 million in 2013-14 compare d to 41.1 million in 2012-13.

The report also estimated a slight increase in the number of educational institutions from 240,300 to 243,800.

`The federal government has spent Rs59.28 billion during 201314, in addition to the provincial allocation of Rs59.440 billion to accelerate the pace of education at all levels and to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) tar-gets,` the economic survey said.

The economic managers of the country have claimed that the Gross Enrolment Rates (GER) at primary level for the age group of 5-9 years had remained 91 per cent during 2012-13.

According to the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey 2012-13, the literacy rate (10 years and above) is estimated at 60 per cent as compared to 58 per cent in 2011-12.

Literacy remained much higher in urban areas than in rural areas and higher among men. It said province-wise data suggests that Punjab leads with 62 per cent followed by Sindh with 60 per cent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 52 per cent and Balochistan with 44 per cent.

Among the provinces, Punjab remains stable with primary level GER at 98 per cent; Sindh shows improvement to 81 per cent in 2012-13 from 79 per cent in 2011-12 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also improved to 91 per cent in 2012-13 from 89 per cent in 2011-12 while Balochistan witnessed an improvement of 70 per cent in 2012-13 from 69 per cent in 2011-12.Net enrolment rates (NER) at the national level during 2012-13 remained at 57 per cent. During JulyMarch 2013-14, a total of 6,677 youth received vocational and technical training under the President` Fanni Maharat Programme and Prime Minister`s Hunermand Pakistan Programme and 2,687 are still under training.

The report further said the HEC was also playing its role in running different scholarship programmes to enhance academic qualifications at various levels on merit basis in line with specified criteria. During 2008-13, a total number of 7,731 scholarships were awarded under different programmes of the HEC.The federal government, on the direction of the prime minister, has launched a scheme to support the students from less developed areas.

Under this innovative and special scheme, apart from tuition fee, the federal government has paid other academic, incidental or mandatory fees charged by educational institutions as one-off or on a per semester basis of Masters, MS/ M. Phil and Ph.D. students of selected/backwardareas.

Under the programme, Rs1,200 million will be paid as fee for 35,000 students.

Challenges The report said that basic and college education in the country is facing various challenges. It said that a framework development was required to integrate initiative taken by federal and provincials governments to achieve given targets.

A comprehensive human resource development policy is needed to be coherence with other socio-economic policies of the government.

The report further said that in the education sector, a transparent system for development and better utilisation of private sector initiatives is needed.

Education system in deeni madaris should be mainstreamed which enables the graduates of madressahs to compete in the job market.

The report also suggested that a comprehensive school language policy should be developed in consultation with all stake holders.