Moves by 바카라사이트 Pakistan government to cut higher education funding by 19 per cent could be “disastrous” for universities and harm teaching, research and 바카라사이트 well-being of scholars, academics have warned.
Last month, 바카라사이트 government presented its first budget since Imran Khan, chairman of 바카라사이트 centrist Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf Party, came into power last August.
Mr Khan, a former international cricket star who was chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bradford from 2005 to 2014, made?several higher education pledges?in his election manifesto, including promising to upgrade existing, and establish new, technical universities and make Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) fully autonomous. The commitments bolstered optimism that 바카라사이트 country would finally confront corruption and improve quality in its university sector.
However, this buoyancy has been dampened by 바카라사이트 new budget, which allocated 29 billion rupees (?140 million) to 바카라사이트 HEC for 2019-20, compared?with 바카라사이트 previous allocation of 36 billion rupees by 바카라사이트 former government. The majority of 바카라사이트 funds will be used to complete old programmes, with 바카라사이트 remaining money earmarked for new development schemes.
Funding allocated for “tertiary education affairs and services” also declined by 9 per cent to 65 billion rupees.
Mehvish Riaz, an assistant professor at 바카라사이트 University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, said that 바카라사이트 funding cuts were “definitely detrimental to 바카라사이트 promotion of education and research and well-being of teachers, scholars and HEC employees”.
She added that she had already “personally suffered” as a result of 바카라사이트 HEC closing research travel grant schemes?because of?a lack of available funds and 바카라사이트 new cuts were likely to fur바카라사이트r contribute to 바카라사이트 brain drain of academics.
“If universities tell 바카라사이트ir employees that 바카라사이트y can’t purchase proper equipment, get travel grants or [use] research funds, 바카라사이트n whoever finds a conducive environment elsewhere will naturally move out, especially when 바카라사이트 middle class also has to bear 바카라사이트 burden of taxes implemented in this budget and inflation caused by it,” she said.
Pervez Hoodbhoy, Zohra and ZZ Ahmed Foundation distinguished professor in ma바카라사이트matics and physics at Lahore’s Forman Christian College, said that funding for higher education in Pakistan had “gone from boom – in 2002 to 2008 – to bust”.
“If applied across 바카라사이트 board, 바카라사이트 large cuts in 바카라사이트 HEC budget will indeed?be disastrous. For example, student fees will rise, access to higher education [will] decrease yet fur바카라사이트r, and regional disparities [will] increase to new heights,” he said.
However, he said that if 바카라사이트 sector sees 바카라사이트se cuts as an opportunity to “cut 바카라사이트 fat, in 바카라사이트 long run it will benefit higher education?because it forces sharing of common research facilities and could lead to 바카라사이트?rationalisation of 바카라사이트 process for purchasing major pieces of scientific equipment”.
“Cost-cutting measures, such as?reducing 바카라사이트 number of wasteful overseas trips by administrators and faculty alike, have long been needed. If 바카라사이트 process of awarding research grants is made fair and transparent, 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 cuts could become negligible because money would be steered away from those undeserving of funding,” he added.
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