TO cultivate a knowledge economy, we need more than just physical infrastructure. Universities are institutions of wisdom, producing researchers, scholars, and thinkers. They also nurture leaders and engaged citizens.

At the time of partition, Pakistan had only one university, the Punjab University. By 2000, there were 70 public universities in the country. Since establishing the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in 2002, with a vision to foster a knowledge economy, Pakistan has seen remarkable growth. Today, Pakistan has over 260 universities, including 160 public universities. However, the standards of university education have followed a different trajectory.

Esteemed educators like Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy have extensively discussed the poor state of higher education. They have identified systemic issues and problems with the quality of faculty and students, cultural limitations, pedagogy, and the lack of funds. The rapid increase of universities has led to higher enrolment but has negatively impacted the overall quality of higher education. Universities require recurrent funding for faculty development, research, conferences, international collaboration, industry linkages, and a dynamic student environment.

Even though the number of public universities has increased from 100 in 2010 to 160 today, the total current budget allocated for ongoing operations has decreased in real terms. Most of this budget is used to pay staff salaries and pensions. Universities rely on development budgets for expansion projects to compensate for funding gaps. HEC acts as a real estate fund manager, while universities have the role of real estate developers. Governments tend to prioritise funding construction projects over providing operational costs. This has led to wasteful expenditures and an unequal distribution of resources — some universities are flush with funds while others struggle with their operations.

There is a growing political demand for the establishment of universities. Many politicians lobby for new universities or campuses in their respective areas. It is a competition for plaques. There is no strategy for developing universities and improving tertiary education except for expanding infrastructure. Numerous lower-level jobs created in a new university are an opportunity to garner political support. Using universities as patronage vehicles may explain the state of higher education today.

We cannot simply construct our way to educational excellence.

University development projects also appeal to other politico-economic players. Some years ago, the military’s engineering corps advocated the creation of a National University of Technology in Islamabad. The retiring army engineer-in-chief recently replaced a former engineer-in-chief as the university’s rector. The military’s education corps is also pushing for a National University of Pakistan in Islamabad. With 36 universities already in the twin cities, this will be the ninth university managed by the armed forces.

We choose to route highways through existing universities and deprive them of funds while acquiring more land for new universities and constructing buildings with the money we do not have.

The 18th Amendment removed the Concurrent List, which had included the responsibility for managing and developing education. Following this amendment, the provincial assemblies and governments are responsible for education from the primary to tertiary levels. The centre only retains the authority to regulate and standardise higher education and research.

The federal government should stop building new universities and campuses. Instead, HEC should be revamped to focus on its regulatory role. The government should allocate funds to universities to improve the quality of teaching and support research. HEC has over 100 projects to establish new universities or expand existing ones. Given the recent budget allocations, it will take at least 10 years to complete only the projects in the pipeline. The federal government should cancel all projects for which construction has yet to begin and redirect funds to projects already under construction to ensure timely completion.

Universities being established across the country are effectively replacing traditional degree colleges. However, not all can support scientific research facilities and employ high-quality researchers and faculty. Universities must be categorised as research and teaching institutions to plan their management and financing.

The provinces should consider selecting a limited number of universities to specialise in research and allocate funds for that purpose. Other universities or institutions can prioritise teaching and skills development. Establishing a new university should only be based on a genuine need assessment. Distributing limited resources across targeted institutions is more efficient. Having a few world-class research universities is better than many subpar ones.

On the other hand, the state of primary and secondary education is even more disheartening. Every third child in the country aged five to 16 is out of school, and over 70 per cent of children in primary schools will drop out before finishing secondary school. Alarmingly, Pakistan is among the world’s top 15 countries with the highest number of out-of-school children.

To fulfil citizens’ fundamental needs, investment in primary, secondary, and college education must be improved with efficient management. Implementing Article 25-A — the right to free and compulsory education for all — is a distant goal. While focusing on primary, secondary, and college education is the priority, the tertiary education roadmap must have a clear strategy to provide quality higher education and cutting-edge research.

Former prime minister Imran Khan had envisioned PM House University’s development in Islamabad. It may have been well-intentioned, but it was another vanity university project. Nevertheless, he endorsed a moratorium on establishing new universities despite political pressure and asked HEC to prepare a proper strategy. The approval and establishment of new universities continued, and HEC still needs a plan.

PM Shehbaz Sharif recently announced an education emergency. The declaration should result in a concrete policy revamp. Education is Pakistan’s only viable pathway to socioeconomic development. The federal government should support the provinces in dealing with this emergency and guide HEC in developing a national plan with the provinces for managing and improving higher education.

The writer is a former member of the Planning Commission.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024