Peshawar
Punjab’s education budget is 17.7 percent of its total budget, whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) education budget is 21 percent of its total budget. Similarly, Punjab’s population is three times larger than KP’s, but its education budget is only twice that of KP. This means KP spends more per capita on education compared to Punjab. These views were expressed by KP’s Advisor on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination, Muzzammil Aslam, in a tweet from his X (formerly Twitter) account.
While sharing a data chart, Muzzammil Aslam stated that the KP government has allocated a total of Rs. 418 billion for education in the 2025–26 budget, which is a 19% increase from the Rs. 350 billion allocated in the 2024–25 budget. On the other hand, the Punjab government has allocated Rs. 812 billion for education. However, when adjusted for population, this amount is less than KP’s allocation per capita.
Muzzammil Aslam stated that the KP government has allocated 94% of its education budget for current (operational) expenses and 6% for development expenses, whereas the Punjab government allocated 82% for current expenses and 18% for development expenses.
According to Aslam, KP’s current education budget is divided as 88% for primary and secondary education while 11% for higher education and 1% for technical education. Meanwhile, Punjab’s current education budget is allocated as 86% for school education, 13% for higher education and 1% for special education and others. The KP finance advisor added that 75% of KP’s development funds for education are dedicated to primary and secondary education, and 25% to higher education. In contrast, Punjab’s development funds are divided as 67% for school education, 27% for higher education, 3% for special education and 3% for Literacy & Non-Formal Basic Education (LNFBEs).
Muzzammil Aslam further mentioned that within KP’s education budget Rs. 5 billion is allocated for the education Emergency initiative, which aims to enroll out-of-school children while Rs. 5.9 billion is earmarked for improving basic facilities in 32,500 schools and Rs. 8.5 billion is allocated to provide free textbooks to 5.9 million schoolchildren.
In comparison, Punjab has allocated Rs. 40 billion for constructing classrooms, Rs. 35 billion for the Punjab Education Foundation, Rs. 15 billion for scholarships for talented students.
Muzzammil Aslam concluded that, given Punjab’s population is three times that of KP and its overall budget is twice as large, it is evident that KP’s education budget is more balanced and focused in all respects when compared to Punjab.
