Higher education performance down in four years

Islamabad : Many national and international assessments undertaken by reputed organisations including World Economic Forum, Times Higher Education, QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, have found that Pakistan‘s higher education sector performance went down despite a significant increase in funding to HEC in the last four years.

This was quoted in a report released by Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA), Islamabad Chapter, and Working Group on Higher Education Reforms Pakistan along with other 8 organisations here Thursday.

According to the report, the federal government allocated Rs46.679 billion, including Rs 430 million as foreign assistance, for the Higher Education Commission for the fiscal 2018-19 in the Public Sector Development Programme as compared to Rs35.662 billion in 2017-18 and Rs21.487 billion during 2016-17 for meeting expenditure on new infrastructure projects, new campuses, strengthening of existing facilities, scholarship programs etc for the 112 public sector universities with additional 82 countrywide campuses.

It said that in the new financial year, a total amount of Rs6.462 billion is allocated for 42 new development projects in the higher education sector as compared to Rs9.188 billion which were earmarked for the 62 new schemes in 2017-18.

Like in previous years, out of total 42 new projects, only 1 project is approved while others are supposed to be approved during the course of year.

According to the higher education experts, on the basis of the past experience, it is not sure if all the allocated funds could be utilised this year as well, as only 49% of the funds released were utilised last year.

The consequences of failing to utilise almost half of the HEC funds led to serve fiscal deficiencies within public sector universities including delay in completion of higher education projects which also resulted in increased costs owing to inflation.

The report said that in the last four years, out of 211 new development projects reflected in annual budget/PSDP, HEC could only get about 50%, i.e., 106 projects approved which resulted in depriving public sector universities to undertake steps towards improving existing facilities and fulfilling growth-driven needs which caused a major blow to the quality as well as access pertaining to the higher education due to failure in meeting facility development and enrolment targets.

According to the report, another unanimous decision of Senate of Pakistan’s Functional Committee on Devolution on Nov 16, 2017, on the public petition filed by FAPUASA could not be implemented by the Federal Government.

This decision was later on adopted by Senate of Pakistan.

The decision demanded (a) 75% tax rebate for university faculty, (b) extending retirement age of university faculty from 60 to 65 years and (c) amendment in the Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2002 to ensure that functions of the Commission are devolved in line with the 18th Constitutional Amendment and are transferred to the provinces.