Staff Reporter
For the last five years, the higher education sector in Pakistan is facing sever financial crisis due to continuous static budget allocation which is insufficient to meet the requirements of 139 public sector universities with 92 sub campuses.
It was stated during the Pre Budget Education Dialogue, organised by Anjuman Tubla Islam, which was attended by Syedd Hassan Murtza (MPA, PPP), Mian Imran Masood (Ex-Education Minister, Punjab), Husnain Mustfai (Secretary General ATI), Dr Nek Muhammad (President FAUPASA), Prof. Dr. Tahir Hijazi (Vice Chancellor, Muslim Youth University), Kanwar Dilshad (Ex-Secretary, ECP), Mazhar Barlas (Senior Columnist), Muhammad Murtaza Noor (Higher Education Expert) and other stakeholders of higher education sector.
The speakers demanded that current financial crisis, inflation, and Covid-19 triggered economic slump that worsened these financial issues multifold.
To tackle these financial crises in effective way, the stakeholders demanded for a substantial increase should be ensured for higher education sector in the upcoming budget for 2021-22.
Following through deliberations, it was unanimously resolved that Rs. 150 billion should be allocated as recurring budget for the higher education in the 2021-22 budget.
During the current financial crisis survival for teaching and research faculty of the higher education sector is difficult.