Budget hike tied to arrears in some ‘educational institutions’ of PAHA

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Annual budget ranges from KD 29m to KD 31m

KUWAIT CITY, July 18: Deputy Director General of the Education and Rehabilitative Services Section in the Public Authority for Handicapped Affairs (PAHA) Anwar Al-Answari said the usual annual budget for the Educational Sector in the authority ranges from KD 29 million to KD 31 million, while the draft budget for the current fiscal year (2018/2019) which PAHA submitted to the Finance Ministry in October 2017 reached KD 55 million, reports Al-Jaridah daily

In his interview with the daily, Al-Answari explained the budget increase is due to arrears in some educational institutions affiliated to PAHA since 2010. “The Finance Ministry requested all government agencies, including PAHA, to set a budget ceiling for the next three years with variables not exceeding five percent and their justifications. PAHA was exempted only in the current year due to the aforementioned arrears,” he added. He went on to clarify that “the Educational Sector, in collaboration with its administrative and financial counterparts, listed all the arrears which amounted to about KD 25 million.

This amount has been added to the annual budget estimated at KD 30 million, so the total is KD 55 million which the ministry reduced to KD 53 million.” He also revealed that the license of a school sponsored by the authority has been withdrawn due to violations, indicating the school failed to meet the standards set by PAHA. He added, “This will continue in order to protect the lives of our boys and girls who need special care due to their disabilities.” He said the number of students enrolled in Arab and foreign schools, nurseries and approved rehabilitation institutions reached more than 8,000 boys and girls in all academic levels. Moreover, the number of educational institutions reached 74 – 17 Arab schools, 21 foreign schools (bilingual), 29 nurseries and seven rehabilitation institutions, he concluded.

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