ISLAMABAD: The government will not cut the higher education’s budget for fiscal year 2022-23.

This was pointed out by Minister for Education Rana Tanvir Hussain and Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal as they reassured heads of public-sector universities that there would be no cut in budget for education.

Mr Hussain said he stood by heads of universities in their valid demand for allocation of Rs104.9 billion recurring budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The ministers were speaking to participants of the vice chancellors committee meeting, held at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Islamabad. Vice chancellors (VCs) of public-sector universities and members of the commission’s governing body attended the meeting, says a press release issued by the HEC on Friday.

Says he stands by their demand seeking over Rs104bn allocation

The VCs told participants about their concerns regarding the indicative budget ceilings (IBC) of only Rs30 billion for higher education’s recurring grant for the fiscal year 2022-23.

The HEC had presented a rational demand of Rs104.9 billion for the next financial year. This was worked out together with officials from the finance ministry, they said.

Mr Hussain said there was a need to promote quality education, innovation and research in universities to equip the country’s youth with skills, adding that the government would take steps towards improving the financial management of universities.

He said he had approved a recommendation by vice chancellors, which stated that the budgetary allocation to higher education should be linked to the growth of gross domestic product (GDP).

Mr Iqbal said the country needed to bring universities to the forefront to help tackle challenges by fully utilising the potential of youth.

Mentoring of almost two million youth, who are the future of this country, is done at universities, he said, adding that classrooms and laboratories of universities were national security frontiers and VCs were like corps commanders.

Mr Iqbal highlighted that it is up to these VCs, to prepare the youth for future challenges, adding that “we have to provide a platform to our youth to bring Pakistan to the position it deserves and inculcate the principle of unity in diversity”.

HEC Executive Director Dr Shaista Sohail said public-sector universities were already under financial stress, as it had become difficult for some universities to even pay salaries and pensions.

The government must fulfill its promise, in addition to releasing the additional grant of Rs15 billion promised by the previous government for the current fiscal year, she said, adding that HEC funds 100 public-sector universities, 50 research centres and 18 new universities (eligible for funding). It will be impossible to run universities if the budget is cut, she added.

The federal government provides around 34pc of the funds needed to run universities and provinces allocate 6-8pc, she said, adding universities themselves arrange for the rest of its monetary requirements.

Public sector universities are bound to keep the semester fee within a limit in order to ensure that the students of low-income families may also acquire education, Ms Sohail said.

Earlier, Engr Ahmed Farooq Bazai and VC of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Prof Dr Mohammad Ali expressed concern over the serious shortfall in higher education funding and demanded Rs104.9 billion for HEC.

Commission member retired Lt Gen Mohammad Asghar as well as several other VCs expressed their views on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2022