ISLAMABAD: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) through the Ministry of Federal Education has sought a Rs230 million additional budget from the federal government for the smooth functioning of its bus service for students of schools and colleges.

Through a letter, the FDE recently requested the education ministry for the additional grant. The FDE stated that in the fiscal year 2021-22 the expense incurred on the bus service was Rs342 million and an almost same amount would be required in the current fiscal year. However, the letter said, for the current fiscal year only Rs122 million were allocated which were inadequate.

Therefore, the FDE requested the ministry for the additional grant of Rs230 million, which will be spent on petrol/diesel, repair and maintenance of the buses and payment of salaries to 174 drivers and 196 conductors.

A source in the education ministry said that the ministry had been trying its best to get the required funds for the FDE for the bus service.

Without passing financial burden to students, ministry will ensure smooth functioning of bus service, says official

Earlier this month, the ministry of education after barring the FDE from charging any new fee had decided to provide Rs100 million immediately to the directorrate. It was also decided that the ministry will move a summary to the Ministry of Finance for the release of funds.

“We are cognizant of the issue and surely will provide the required funds to the FDE,” said Additional Secretary (AS) Education Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry.

He said the ministry will arrange funds for the FDE from its own account and in the meanwhile the finance ministry will be requested for release of the additional grant.

Mr Chaudhry, who held several meetings on the issue a few weeks ago, said that without passing financial burden to the students and parents the ministry will ensure smooth functioning of the bus service.

The federal cabinet last year had directed the FDE to run the bus service on a cost-sharing basis through the school and college management committees. Some weeks ago when the school management committees were asked to run the bus service, they decided to charge Rs2,500 per month from each student as a transport fee. However, parents and students protested the move.

Meanwhile, Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain took notice of the issue and directed the FDE to withdraw the notification. The minster meanwhile asked officers of the education ministry to make efforts for providing funds to the FDE for smooth functioning of the bus service.

Earlier, Rs600 to Rs800 per month were being charged from students that was acceptable to the parents.

“Have taken strict notice of the reports regarding imposition of Rs2,500 as new transport/bus fee in schools/colleges under the ambit of the Federal Directorate of Education, Islamabad. Directions issued that no such fee will be charged and for FDE to withdraw any such order,” the minster had tweeted during the first week of this month.

During the previous government of the PML-N (2013-18), on the direction of the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, schools and colleges in Islamabad were provided 200 buses. Similarly, over 200 schools were facelifted and provided with additional resources.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2022