Punjab govt plans major increase in school non-salary budget to improve facilities

The Government of Punjab has announced plans to increase the Non-Salary Budget (NSB) for public schools from Rs16 billion to Rs20–25 billion, a significant step aimed at improving basic facilities and infrastructure across the province

CHINIOT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Mar, 2026) The Government of Punjab has announced plans to increase the Non-Salary Budget (NSB) for public schools from Rs16 billion to Rs20–25 billion, a significant step aimed at improving basic facilities and infrastructure across the province. The initiative targets nearly 38,000 government schools and seeks to ensure better maintenance, adequate resources and a smoother learning environment.

Moreover, officials said the move is designed to address longstanding financial constraints affecting schools’ operational needs.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the District education Authority in Chiniot on Thursday by Rana Zafar Iqbal, Manager Field Implementation, Syed Azeem Naqvi, Program Officer NSB, and Mehr Qaiser Mushtaq, Finance Officer at the Project Management and Implementation Unit (PMIU). According to officials, the initiative aligns with the vision of Maryam Nawaz and the guidance of Mudassar Riaz Malik. Furthermore, PMIU Project Director Umar Iftikhar Shirazi has directed field officers to actively visit schools across districts, carefully assess their requirements and distribute funds on a fair and transparent basis.

Officials explained that funds will be allocated based on student enrollment, the number of functional classrooms and other essential requirements. In addition, authority to utilize the funds has been granted directly to head teachers, enabling them to efficiently spend resources—after consultation with school councils or parents’ committees—on infrastructure, facilities, utility bills, repairs and maintenance.

Notably, head teachers will no longer require approval from Assistant Education Officers or Deputy District Education Officers for such expenditures. A comprehensive training manual has also been prepared to strengthen the financial management skills of school heads, helping them properly maintain records and comply with tax procedures.

Meanwhile, CEO of District Education Authority Chiniot Azhar Sohail Niazi highlighted that the School Education Department has already invested heavily in new classrooms, electric water coolers and air-conditioned computer labs. However, he noted that rising electricity costs have dramatically increased schools’ utility bills, consuming a large portion of their budgets and leaving limited funds for stationery and maintenance.

During the meeting—attended by District Education Officers Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Muhammad Ismail and Khadija Bukhari—officials also visited Government Girls High School Satellite Town, where Head Teacher Hira Sakhawat said teachers frequently spend from their own pockets to purchase teaching materials due to the high cost of electricity.

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