‘Allocate more money for higher education’

Faculty says development projects have not been approved while funds are allocated for new projects

ISLAMABAD: Representatives of the public sector university teaching faculty have urged the government to amend its current budget to allocate four per cent of the gross domestic product for education and restore their 75 per cent tax rebate.

The demands came during a post-budget seminar organised by the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) at the International Islamic University in Islamabad.



Participants of the seminar resolved to review the budget allocations for higher education through an active involvement of stakeholders, especially the faculty  at the federal and provincial levels, strengthening existing universities instead of allocating funds for new universities, formulating policies for higher education through deliberations instead of on individuals basis, diverting budget allocations for laptop schemes towards awarding need-based scholarships and university infrastructure, allocation of four per cent of GDP for education and 25 per cent of total education budget for higher education.



Moreover, they want a 75 per cent tax rebate for university researchers and faculty, respecting autonomy of universities, separation of functions for funding, quality assurance, regulatory and ranking in higher education sector of the Punjab and requesting the Council of Common Interests to include faculty representatives on the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) Board.

FAPUASA Islamabad Chapter President Dr Shehzad Chaudhary, while addressing the seminar lamented that over the past few years, 56 per cent of new development projects in the higher education sector have failed to get approval while universities remain devoid of critical infrastructures such as establishing new labs, academic blocks,
and hostels.

This was all apart from strengthening existing facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2017.