Private Sector in Education
Encouraging private investment in education. There shall be regulatory bodies at the national
and provincial levels to regulate activities and smooth functioning of privately-managed schools
and institutions of higher education through proper rules and regulations. A reasonable tax
rebate shall be granted on the expenditure incurred on the setting-up of educational facilities
by the private sector. Matching grants shall be provided for establishing educational
institutions by the private sector in the rural areas or poor urban areas through Education
Foundations. Existing institutions of higher learning shall be allowed to negotiate for
financial assistance with donor agencies in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
Educational institutions to be set up in the private sector shall be provided (a) plots in
residential schemes on reserve prices, and (b) rebate on income tax, like industry. Schools
running on non-profit basis shall be exempted from all taxes. Curricula of private institutions
must conform to the principles laid down in the Federal Supervision of curricula, Textbooks
and Maintenance of Standards of Education Act, 1976. The fee structure of the privately
managed educational institutions shall be developed in consultation with the government.
Innovative Programes
The National Education Testing Service will be established to design and administer
standardized tests for admission to professional institutions. Qualifying these tests
will become a compulsory requirement for entry to professional education. This mechanism
is expected to check the incidence of malpractice in examinations. Likewise, standardized
tests shall be introduced for admission to general education in universities.
Implementation Monitoring And Evaluation
A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system has been envisaged from grass-roots to the
highest level. The District Education Authority will be established in each district to ensure
public participation in monitoring and implementation. The education Ministers at the Federal
and Provincial levels will oversee monitoring committees, responsible for implementation at
their levels. The Prime Minister and Provincial Chief Ministers will be the Chief of National
and Provincial Education Councils respectively which will ensure achievements of targets.
Existing EMIS at Federal and Provincial levels shall be strengthened to make them responsive
to the need of Monitoring and Evaluation System (MES).The Academy of Educational Planning
and Management (AEPAM) shall be strengthened and tuned up to meet the emerging demands of MES
and its obligations at national and provincial levels. Data collected through Provincial
EMISs and collated by AEPAM through National Education Management Information System (NEMIS)
shall be recognized as one source for planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation
purposes to avoid disparities and confusion. Databases of critical indicators on qualitative
aspects of educational growth shall be developed and maintained by AEPAM for developing
sustainable indicators of progress, based on more reliable and valid data to facilitate
planning, implementation and follow-up. A School Census Day shall be fixed for collecting
data from all over the country.
The total expenditure of the government on education will be raised from its present level
of 2.2% to 4% of GNP by the year 2002-03 (p.132).
