Taking cognizance of universities’ financial crisis

At last Governor Khyber Pukhtunkh Shah Farman took cognizance of worsening financial crisis of public sector universities and unbridled practice of abnormally raising tuition fee which has made acquisition of higher education almost impossible for the talented students of poor and middle class families. The Governor held a meeting and detailed discussion with provincial minister for finance Taimur Jhgra, Chief Minister Advisor on Higher Education Khaleqqur Rehman and Chairman Higher Education Tariq Binori on the financial stability of institutions of higher education and improving quality of education.

At the behest of ruling political elite belonging to feudal and mercantile classes, higher education was targeted discretely under the provisions of 18th Amendment. Treacherously, notification had been issued to disband Higher Education Commission of Pakistan although the decision did fall within the ambit of this amendment. Consequently, it was challenged in the Supreme Court and the Apex Court declared the notification null and void. However, the devolution of higher education to provinces resulted in substantial decrease in the amount of grants from Higher Education Commission of Pakistan to public sector universities which opened the door for the necessary evil of abnormal increases in tuition fee every year. It is worth appreciation that Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, while presiding over meeting on proposed amendments in Universities’ Act 2012 the other day, drew the attention of provincial government to soaring tuition fee and falling standard of higher education. Provision of grants form Higher Education of Pakistan and provincial government can help decrease tuition fee and stopping of political interference and limiting the role of universities” syndicates in the appointment of faculty can improve the quality of education if buttressed with availability of equipment, chemicals and subscription of top notch international research journals by providing user ID to students.