Education Budget Approaches P10 Billion Mark

The former Education Minister Jacob Nkate was heavily criticised for recklessness last year when the budget for the ministry hit the P8 billion mark. A number of parliamentarians called for his head. This year, the ministry will spend P8.2 billion on recurrent budget, while the rest is for  the development according to presentations on Thursday by the new Education Minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi before the parliamentary committee of supply.

The budget does not have any new projects and the development funds will be used on ongoing ones. Of the P8.2 billion recurrent budget, the Department of Teaching Service Management receives the largest portion of P3 billion for teachers' salaries and associated costs. The Department of Tertiary Education   gets P2 billion for students already on government sponsorship. Another P2.7 billion will go to education officers salaries and subventions to parastatals and running costs for departments.