More funds

Students of public-sector universities in Sindh were among the worst-affected by last year’s monsoon. Many found that their homes had been destroyed and their parents’ income gone, forcing them to return home and only pursue their studies intermittently. This compromise came at the cost of their education and employment prospects and the problem has been further compounded by increased tuition fees. Given the rising inflation and the meagre allocation that public universities receive from the government, raising fees is often the only choice these institutions have to remain functional. The solution lies in better financing and grants for public-sector universities and introducing more scholarship schemes and interest-free student loan programmes. After the 18th Amendment, provincial governments have sufficient resources to generously fund education and health. The Sindh government needs to prioritize higher education by allocating more funds for public sector universities.

Waseem Malik

Jamshoro