BEFORE coming to power, Imran Khan would always criticise the governments for spending billions on metros and roads despite the poor education system. However, he has started doing the same thing. Besides, his struggle was majorly focused against corruption and accountability.

In the last one decade, the universities were allotted huge funds for higher education, research work, infrastructure, faculty training and so on. When Imran Khan came to power, annual audits of funds given to universities by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), also came under the accountability process.

However, most of the universities failed to present their financial audit reports as there was considerable difference between the allotted funds and the funds spent. Moreover, the funds were allotted to raise the standards of research and quality education. But, unfortunately, we have neither seen research in recent times from Pakistani scholars in universities nor any improvement in the quality of education.

This is evident from the fact that no Pakistani university holds top positions in Asia or in the world. The faculty sent abroad for higher studies on the HEC’s expense, returned with better research quantity-wise rather than quality.

I guess, this may also be the possible reasons for no increase in the education budget keeping in view the agenda on which Imran Khan came to power.

Jawad Akhter Siddiqui
Sukkur

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2020