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Education outlay down, still highest

MUSTAK HOSSAIN
Budgetary allocation for education has dropped to 13.4 percent in terms of sector-wise allocation in the proposed budget for the fiscal 2004-05, down from 14 percent of the outgoing budget.
The crucial sector is likely to get Tk 7,680 crore in the fiscal year 2004-05 against Tk 6,740 crore in the 2003-04 financial year -- still the highest allocation in the budget Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman proposed to parliament yesterday.
The sector received Tk 6,871 crore in the 2002-2003 financial
year.
"For FY 2004-05, I propose an allocation of Tk 7,680 crore for the education sector in revenue and development budget combined," Saifur said.
"As a result, education will receive the highest allocation in the budget," he added.
The minister said the allocation is Tk 940 crore more than the revised budget allocation for the outgoing fiscal year and is 13.4 percent of the total budget.
The minister proposed an allocation
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of Tk 3,071 crore from development budget for implementing 51 projects in the education sector.
The six-year "Primary Education Development Programme-2" with an outlay of about Tk 5,000 crore is being implemented for expansion and qualitative improvement of primary education.
Some 35,000 new teachers will be recruited and 30,000 classrooms constructed alongside maintenance work of primary schools and training institutions.
The government will arrange training for 90,000 teachers and supply about 40 crore books to students under the programme.
The government will undertake a new project titled, "Reaching out [to] school children", with an outlay of about Tk 400 crore to create scope for primary education for children who are deprived of
this opportunity, the finance minister said.
About 20 lakh children of 600 unions of 60 upazilas will be brought under the primary education net and given various amounts of financial incentives depending on their classes of study.
The finance minister has proposed to double the number and amount of scholarships to encourage the meritorious students.
"I propose to double from July 2004-05 the number of scholarships at different primary and secondary levels from 35,000 to 77,000. I also propose to raise the amount of scholarship on an average by 15 percent," Saifur said in his budget proposal.
He also said the government will evaluate and take appropriate action on the report of the National Education Commission that has already been submitted to reform the education sector.