Student feedback on Ehsaas Scholarships sought

Dr Sania Nishtar stresses importance of dialogue to ensure policy implementation

ISLAMABAD: Nearly four months after the country’s largest-ever undergraduate scholarship programme was launched, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar sought out feedback on the programme from its ultimate beneficiaries, the students.

Dr Nishtar visited the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) in the federal capital on Thursday and held a dialogue with students along with QAU Vice-Chancellor Muhammad Ali to explain the policy and take the input of students.

“This was a critical policy consultation, which enabled me to appreciate fully how important financial access to education is for students at an undergraduate level,” Dr Nishtar said afterwards.

The SAPM said that the Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship is one of the eight priority programmes under the Ehsaas project. The programme was launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 4, 2019, and is currently seeking applications from students via an online portal maintained by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) — the implementing agency for the programme.

Dr Nishtar said that the scholarship award will start soon and dates for it will be announced shortly.

She interacted with students to get insights on their academic aspirations and the challenges they are facing.

“I strongly believe that we cannot frame policies sitting back in offices; unless we engage with the beneficiaries of the programmes we run, we cannot ensure that the programmes are responsive,” she said.

A large number of undergraduate students from diverse regional and social backgrounds shared their viewpoints on the programme.

They appreciated the scholarships programme, noting that it provides the best opportunities for students who cannot afford a higher education otherwise since it not only covers basic tuition fees but also a living stipend.

They told the SAPM that an online application portal gave them a level playing field to apply for scholarships transparently.

Female students appreciated the fact that half of all scholarships have been reserved for girls, while students with special needs as well as those from remote and underserved areas are also being encouraged to apply.

Dr Nishtar assured the students that “the government is fully committed to ensuring that the scholarship programme benefits the maximum number of students who are in actual need.”

She added that the programme signified a major policy change in the educational canvas of the country by emphasising on the most critical segment, the undergraduate programme, which contributes the most to furthering income generation potential.

Later the Steering Committee of Ehsaas Undergraduate scholarships met with Dr Nishtar and HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri in the chair for its fourth confab to give final touches to the programme for the academic year 2019-2020.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2020.