ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday hinted that government would provide supplementary grant to higher education sector.

Sharing one-year performance of his ministry at a press conference, the education minister said that he had taken up the special grant issue at the cabinet meeting.

“Hopefully, the grant for higher education sector will significantly be increased,” he said.

Public sector universities are in financial straits and according to recent statement of the HEC chairman, some are in dire need of funding.

Recently, while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Education and Professional Training, HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri had said that a public sector university spent Rs150,000 per student, while the government provides on an average just Rs50,000 per student.

By next year, uniform education system will be introduced at primary level and by 2021 at matriculation level, assures minister

Public sector universities’ vice chancellors have also criticised cuts in the higher education budget in the budgetary allocation for 2019-20.

They said some universities were on the verge of being closed, and demanded a supplementary grant of Rs10 billion.

Earlier, the minister said that his ministry was in the process of introducing uniform education system in the country.

He assured that by next year uniform education system would be introduced at least at primary level and by 2021 at matriculation level.

The minister said every effort had been made to introduce uniform education system.

“The first year in office has been a challenging, as in addition to system defects and governance issues, we also faced budget inefficiencies. Despite these challenges the ministry worked extraordinarily hard to lay the groundwork for the next four years, mostly addressing system changes that will lead to transformative results,” read the booklet, carrying performance of ministry in one year, which was shared with the media person during the press briefing.

Earlier, during the press briefing the minister also said that all seminaries would be registered. They will work independently, but will be affiliated with the education ministry.

Mr Mahmood also shared other steps taken by the ministry to bring about improvement in education sector. He said out of total 11,000 out-of-school children over 7,000 were enrolled in Islamabad schools.

To a query about the issue of exorbitant fee of private schools, the minister said that his ministry would implement the Supreme Court’s ruling in this regard and school could not increase their fee beyond the limit set by the apex court.

During the presser, the minister also faced some tough question about his ministry’s performance as several important issues like daily wage employees, appointment of Federal Directorate of Education director general, Prime Minister Education Reforms Programme to facelift Islamabad-based public school started by previous government remained unattended.

The minister, however, said all pending issues would be resolved.

He said the issue of daily wage teachers would be resolved soon as ministry had requested Federal Public Service Commission for appointment of around 700 teachers of Grade 16 and above.

A summary has also been moved to cabinet to get its approval for appointment of other teachers up to grade 14. The federal government is also being requested for creation of new posts.

He said that this issue will be resolved in accordance with Islamabad High Court Judgment.

While talking about the appointment of DG FDE, whose office is lying vacant from December 2016, the minister said that ministry had requested the Establishment Division for revision of rules for appointment of DG so that a competent person from private sector too could apply for this important post.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2019