Pakistan

Devolution issues: Govt withholds HEC funds, awaits legislation

Recurring budget is used to pay salaries of public university employees.

Azam Khan April 16, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

Despite high-level intervention, the finance ministry continues to withhold the Rs7.7 billion pledged to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for its recurring budget which is used to pay the salaries of 71 public sector universities.

Repeated reminders to the ministry have failed to elicit a response, according to sources at the commission. A proposal was forwarded to the Auditor General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) on April 9 but officials said they have not received any answer so far.

The process which should not take more than two or three days has not been initiated by the ministry, which is hampering the commission’s functions. The official said the lack of funds had created severe financial problems for employees. The commission has also deferred instalments for students studying abroad whose education is funded by the HEC.

The ministry has withheld the funds because it is waiting for parliament to legislate on the HEC’s fate. If the commission devolves to the provinces, provincial governments will be responsible for the distribution of funds to the universities.

The HEC has informed the administrations of public sector universities about the delay in the provision of the recurring budget by the Ministry of Finance which may result in a lack of funds for payment of salaries.

A top HEC official said that they could approach the president and the prime minister on the issue as he was of the view that after apex court’s recent decision to preserve the HEC, there is no justification for withholding funds till the relevant legislation is approved.

According to HEC officials, Rs23.2 billion were approved by the Finance Ministry for the recurring budget fiscal year 2011, with a reduction of Rs4.8 billion from the RS28 billion originally committed by the government. The funds were pledged by the ministry last year and should not be pegged with the present crisis regarding the future of the HEC, according to officials. The recurring budget is provided to public sector universities for the payment of salaries to their teaching and non-teaching staff and is not used for any other purpose, said HEC officials.

The Ministry of Finance withheld teachers’ salaries last year that led to countrywide protests by teachers’ federations. The prime minister had to intervene and order the release of funds for their salaries.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (10)

Critical Observor | 13 years ago | Reply The sooner HEC is dissolved, the better. This body is a parasite on the country's economy, which is already poor.

Gul | 13 years ago | Reply **

Thank you Mr. Qadeer.

** I think, human being is so greedy, they would always strive to get more,thus all species would struggle more those are sitting and never been accountable. Secondly, HEC also started business in the name of NTS.Who is running this business have ever you tried to know that? Very competent students cannot get the required score,just because HEC has to earn more and more more .

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abdul qadeer | 13 years ago | Reply This is with reference to the comments of Mr Gul . He, in the start of his comment has asked about the number of people who are being benefitted by HEC. No doubt they are few as the higher education commission doesn’t deal with masses. Its customers are only highly educated people and their number unfortunately in Pakistan is very small. This country doesn’t suit educated people .It is the land of feudal, land lords and dirty politicians. By introducing TTS system HEC has tried to save Pakistan from brain drain and induced them to not go abroad for the sack of getting enormous wages. They are more capable than those who are working in international institutes in advanced countries but in spite of enjoying TTS , their salaries are less than them. I agree with Mr Gul on the point that HEC has been behaving from its very first day towards the people of social sciences and languages as a stepmother. It must revise its policies and give them their right share.

abdul qadeer | 13 years ago | Reply This is with reference to the comments of Mr Gul . He, in the start of his comment has asked about the number of people who are being benefitted by HEC. No doubt they are few as the higher education commission doesn’t deal with masses. Its customers are only highly educated people and their number unfortunately in Pakistan is very small. This country doesn’t suit educated people .It is the land of feudal, land lords and dirty politicians. By introducing TTS system HEC has tried to attract the learned faculty to stay at home and induced them to not go abroad for the sack of getting enormous wages. They are more capable than those who are working in international institutes in advanced countries but in spite of enjoying TTS , their salaries are less than them. I agree with Mr Gul on the point that HEC has been behaving from its very first day with the people of social sciences and languages as a stepmother. It must revise its policies and give them their right share.

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply Dirty people playing dirty games with HEC.This is all because of verification of degrees which exposed majority of the fake degree holders.SHAME ON YOU !!!!!!

Mahwish | 13 years ago | Reply I wonder what's taking them so long to let go off the 'precious' funds.

gul | 13 years ago | Reply Human being always fight with their interests. How many people in pakistan are being benefited by HEC.? Why people are crying?Why don't they standup against poverty,social injustices( despite the courts are free)? Only,few so called intellectuald were getting heavy funds and being rich over night, HEC was blessing for them How many persons were fair towards the faculty ?Only toward those had have associations with them, those have friends at HEC. Think about te people those are deprived for years and years. Mushrraf's legacy must go. The ex chairman badly neglected Social scinces and remained focused on the applied sciences. Every body knows,the level of intlect those are getting hundred and thousands in the name of TTS. This is the law of nature, one day people those enjoy public money have to go,nothing is permanent.

abdul qadeer | 13 years ago | Reply The Government is trying its best to make HEC toothless using all the tactics it can to stop HEC from functioning. It is creating the situation of swim or sink for HEC. If it follow the orders and demands of the Government and bow to them, it will get everything. Otherwise it would have to suffer and face troubles. That’s why The Govt is reluctant to release the funds of HEC

Akhtar | 13 years ago | Reply Good,finally HEC will be going.By

Malik | 13 years ago | Reply Thanks to Allah Almighty we have free courts. May Allah give Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry a long blessed life. Ameen.

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