Govt slashes HEC’s development budget by over 50%

Non-release of funds has adversely affected the ongoing projects

ISLAMABAD: The government had slashed, by over 50%, the development budget of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for the fiscal year 2016-17 that ended on June 30 (Friday) to make space for uncontrolled current expenditures, in a move that shows its misguided priorities.

According to the available figures, the government did not release the Rs11.73 billion tranche for the 3rd and 4th quarter of the HEC’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) funds.

The PSDP documents show that during the fiscal year 2016-17, the government had allocated Rs21.48 billion for 122 projects which included 83 ongoing and 39 new schemes for development of higher education. However, during the first half of the last fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance released only about Rs8 billion which makes it about 40% of the allocated amount.

Data shows the HEC received Rs4.29 billion in the first quarter and Rs3.68 billion in the second quarter. While the releases for third and fourth quarters could not be paid and it has already troubled the ongoing and new projects initiated at several public sector universities.



The non-release of funds has already started impacting several projects.

The HEC is now struggling to implement the prime minister’s initiatives including Rs5 billion disbursements for the laptop scheme, establishment of sub campuses in 21 districts, US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor and training of 5,000 general graduates.

The PM had announced establishment of universities and sub campuses in each district of Pakistan in 2014. The designing and planning of the programme has been finalised in coordination with universities and the classes were to commence in the coming September.

Due to non-release of funds, the project is getting delayed with universities showing apprehensions over government’s ‘non-seriousness’, said an HEC official privy to the development. “Now the complete implementation of this project seems impossible,” he added.



Another official commented that the whole cycle for the development budget makes job of the HEC tough as it has to face the ire of universities.

The HEC had initiated PhD programme to train 10,000 students in the United States under US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor. The idea to establish the corridor was floated by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal during a meeting of the Working Group on Education, Science and Technology  in June 2015.

According to sources, the HEC had already selected few scholars to place them in the top US universities from this fall. “The delay in funding will definitely delay their departure affecting overall commitment with the foreign partners,” said another source that was not authorised to talk to the media.

Under these scholarship programmes, the students pay no fee to universities, rather the universities appoint them as research associates or teaching assistants and the HEC pays the accommodation stipend and travel expenses to the US.



Another major initiative of the present government to train 5,000 general graduates has been stopped due to non-availability of funds. In this programme, the HEC planned to train general graduates having degrees in arts and humanities for marketable skills to enhance their employability.

Sources at the Ministry of Planning and Development said they had given the final approval for the HEC and it was the Ministry of Finance which was sitting on the funds.

The HEC chairperson confirmed the non-release of funds but tried to downplay its seriousness apparently to avert the ire of government and bureaucracy.



“Yes, the issue is there but we have completed some of the projects with the available funding and we will resolve it,” he said, adding that the issue would be taken up with ministry officials in coming days.