Education cuts

The HEC’s directive to decrease numerous MPhil and PhD scholarships has devastated the hopes of many aspiring candidates to acquire the possibility of being able to do their higher studies nationally and internationally. The Punjab government is also going to reduce the number of PEEF scholarships from 884 to 52 and HEC scholarships have already been decreased from 601 to 157. Providing access to education through scholarships is increasingly important as it assist students in realizing their dreams and reaching their fullest potentials.

Such unrestricted scholarships not only provide financial support for our students’ educations, they are also an investment in their futures as well as a nation’s skilled human resources development. The current government’s manifesto clearly indicates that they are critically aware of the importance of higher education and its long run impact over our country’s economy but unfortunately their ground actions, policies and strategies are extremely contrasting and discouraging. It is humbly insisted to our prime minister to kindly restore the number of PhD scholarships allotted and even increase them to give our nation’s youth who are our future incentive to study hard and be profitable to our economy.

Hassan Naveed

Lahore