Federal Budget 2026–27: Only a Handful of New Education Schemes Introduced

Pakistan’s Federal Budget 2026–27 allocates Rs77 billion for education, focusing mainly on ongoing schemes under the Public Sector Development Programme with only a few new initiatives introduced. HEC receives Rs41.19 billion, up Rs1.71 billion from last year, with funding largely directed to 135 continuing projects, while the Ministry of Education is allocated Rs36 billion, of which Rs34.80 billion supports 31 ongoing schemes across provinces. Additional allocations include Rs4.60 billion for Danish Schools across Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral and Sindh, Rs3.29 billion for the Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Programme, and Rs3 billion for the Education Endowment Fund supporting scholarships. An extra Rs2.61 billion is earmarked for skill development, while HEC’s three new projects get Rs300 million token funding and Rs41 billion continues for research, infrastructure, and academic expansion. The ministry also launches two new initiatives—Digital Learning and Rollout of Metric Tech—each with Rs600 million for implementation in 2026–27. Overall, the budget reflects a continuity-driven approach prioritising existing education infrastructure while slowly introducing limited digital and skill-based reforms to improve long-term learning outcomes nationwide.