Quota given to Education not spent - Bimal Rathnayake

 MAR 15 2019

The JVP today (15) apprised Parliament that in the last three years there was a stark contrast in money being allocated for Education and the actual amount spent. This came to light before the Committee on Public Finance (COPF).

JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake who opened the Committee Stage Debate of the Appropriation Bill 2019 on the Education and Higher Education Ministries informed the House that the real expenditure for education from the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 1.04 per cent, 1.34%, and 1.27%  in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

He pointed out that “When COPF was analyzing as to how these allocations were spent for Education, Higher Education and Skills Development and Vocational Training Ministries it was revealed that the actual spending contradicted the undertaking on the amount to be spent.”

Rathnayake noted that the budgetary allocation for education is limited mainly to textbooks.

 However, about 50-60% of that allocation is not being actually spent, he added.

He also said that according to the COPF report, the amount of spending by the Higher Education Ministry on scholarships and subsidies had been curtailed by Rs 882 million in 2018 when compared to 2017.