UK’s £650m grant to Pakistan’s education system risks being spent on IMAGINARY schools

A recent study by the UN's education arm UNESCO revealed corruption is so rife that many classrooms, teachers and schoolkids for which cash is being claimed have never existed

MUCH of Britain's controversial £650 million grant to Pakistan's education system risks being spent on IMAGINARY schools, teachers and pupils.

A recent study by the UN's education arm UNESCO revealed corruption is so rife that many classrooms, teachers and schoolkids for which cash is being claimed have never existed.

And, even if money pledged by David Cameron does end up in bona fide schools, they are at risk from the Taliban - who have already destroyed hundreds.

The vile terrorists target girls as they do not believe women should be educated. And they even use children to carry bombs into class.

Another report, by Aslam Pervaiz Abro, an ex-official of the National Accountability Bureau, sums up the problem. It said: "Corruption in education is institutionalised in such a way that it has become the norm.
"Hundreds of schools in rural areas remain disused and teachers posted there do not appear for work."

Last night a No 10 spokesman insisted: "We have a very rigid system of transparency with this new money. Not a penny of it will be spent without us knowing precisely where it is going."


Experts estimate some 5,000 children - some as young as seven - are trained as suicide bombers.

David Cameron announced the UK's biggest-ever overseas education project in Pakistan on Tuesday.

The Sun told yesterday how the cash comes from savings made from cuts to Britain's Armed Forces - while Pakistan is spending £1.7billion on its own defences.

But it has been pledged to an education system that has been branded a "national emergency".

Government corruption investigators reported there was no point throwing any more international money at it - because it would simply be stolen.

And in Punjab - where Britain is funding an £80million programme - top education executive Dr Muhammad Arshad and several of his officials were suspended amid allegations he siphoned off millions.

Teachers have even called for the Education Minister to be sacked.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3513530/UKs-650m-grant-to-Pakistans-education-system-risks-being-spent-on-IMAGINARY-schools.html