LAHORE: Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) has demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan take notice of extraordinary cut in the budget of higher education and urged him to allocate budget to higher education as per HEC’s demand.
According to a press release, in a letter written to PM Imran Khan and other members of federal cabinet, FSPUASA President Dr Mahboob Hussain and others expressed serious concern of the teachers’ community and said it would seriously jeopardise progress of higher education sector. They said this financial cut would force HEC to shut down various academic programmes. They said that such policies would bring higher education sector to the Stone Age.
They observed that the government had promised during elections that it would give top priority to the education sector and there were many hopes from the PTI government that it would boost and support higher education. However, they said, such policies would let down the higher education sector.
FAPUASA leaders said instead of increasing the budget of the higher education sector as per claims during elections, the government had massively cut the recurring budget as the government has decided to allocate only Rs58 billion against HEC’s demand of Rs103 billion. They added, if the government continued to ignore the higher education sector, research and development activities would be affected badly and all the process of making achievements at the international level would face reversal.
FAPUASA called upon the government to act as per the promises made in the elections and give priority to education.
Meanwhile, Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) will hold a press conference against drastic reduction in the budgetary allocations to the higher education sector at the university’s New Campus Tuesday (today).
Online magazine: Provincial Minister for Women Development Department Ms Ashifa Riaz Fatiana told the audience that the Punjab government was all set to uplift the marginalised segments of society in the light of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision. She lamented that women in our society have to face different social barriers that’s why they are left behind in making their mark. Chief Guest of the launching ceremony, Ms Ashifa Riaz Fatiana appreciated the parents who educate their daughters and facilitate them to materialise their dreams. She reiterated that the Punjab government was taking different initiatives for economic empowerment of women and launching of digital magazine was one of them. Women Development Department launched country’s first-ever Online Digital Magazine for women.
Addressing the participants, Irum Bokhari stated that it was a milestone in history of the department that it had entered a digital era leaving behind the traditional way of communication like press advertisements, pamphlets, etc. She told the audience that it would be the first-ever digital magazine being launched by any public sector organisation in Pakistan. Highlighting the importance and objectives of the magazine, she epitomised that this magazine would serve as a digital link between the women of Punjab and the policymakers which would not only keep women aware of the steps taken by the department for women empowerment but would also enable the stakeholders to take necessary corrective measures in the light of prompt feedback from women. Irum Bokhari told the participants that the magazine would be comprised of articles, inspirational success stories, informational videos and awareness guides.