ISLAMABAD: The struggling directorate ofspecialeducation, which supervises around 13 institutions for differently abled students, on Wednesday got Rs49 million in an additional grant from the Ministry of Education.

Likewise, the school meal programme, under which children enrolled in public schools are provided free lunch, has also been extended to all special educational centres.

`Today we received Rs49 million from the education ministry while the school meal programme has also been extended to all centres of special education from Wednesday,` said Education Joint Secretary Asif Bhatti, who is also acting as the director generalof specialeducation.

He said a PC-I was being prepared to upgrade all centres inaddition to the establishment of four new centres of excellence.

`We are also exploring the options for solarisation to resolve the issue of electricity...,` he said.

`Today, the students were very happy when they were provided free lunch (and) all other issues have also been resolved, including resumption of the transport service to provide pick and drop to students,` he said.

The special directorate has been facing financial issues since it was transferred from the Ministry of Human Rights to the Ministry of Education in July last year, with the allocation of Rs726 million for fiscal year 2024-25.

Due to the budget shortfall, this directorate had been facing issues, such as the payment of utility bills and the transport operations.On Tuesday, the National Assembly was informed that the Directorate of Special Education had been facing a shortage of funds.

The issue was raised by lawmakers in a calling attention notice by lawmakers in the National Assembly.Similarly, the Special Education Centre for Hearing Impairment Children in Sector H-9 recently remained in the news after ashortage of funds led to the suspension of the bus service.

However, Education Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani and Joint Secretary Asif Bhatti got the bus service restored last Friday, and the same day, the principal of the centre, Shahbaz Akhtar, was also transferred.

He was posted as the coordination director at the special education directorate, replacing Asna Aziz.

Asna Aziz, the new principal, has been tasked with improving the quality of education and enrolment as well.

`I also came to know that this centre has been facing a shortage of teachers as well.

Within a week`s time, we will arrange new teachers for this important centre. There are no ifs and buts for special education. Special children deserve special attention, and we will take every step for the provision of the best facilities to these students,` said Mr Bhatti, the director general of special education.

It is relevant to note that special education has 13 centres under its command, and surprisingly there are 658 employees, including teachers, to run these centres where 1600 students are enrolled.