FCCU shows the way

At a time when the prices of most goods and services have shot through the roof, there is good news from an unlikely source. The education sector, especially private universities, have fees and charges well beyond the reach of the mass of the student population in the relevant age group. Following the IMF prescribed austerity regime, the allocations to the public sector universities also shrank, forcing them to shift the burden to the students. This was before a dithering government realised in March that the Covid-19 pandemic was real. Among the first steps taken by the National Security Committee was to close the universities with effect from March 16. After re-opening in mid-September, the universities have been counting the costs of closure, reflected not just in falling revenues from students but also additional spending on connectivity to transition to distance learning, at least in the accessible environments. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) issued various guidelines to continue wherever possible and to minimise the impact of the disruption. Less than half of the universities made some headway in improving online learning systems. Student fees were mentioned by the HEC but the only guideline provided in this regard was that it was a challenge.

In this background, a recent announcement by the Forman Christian College University (FCCU), Lahore can only be welcome. It is the oldest private institution of higher learning and enjoys the prestige that comes with a long history. The announcement bears repeating in detail and discussed in the print and electronic media as an example to be followed by other private universities. The most important feature is the size of fee reduction. According to the announcement, the FCCU has reduced the fee for its postgraduate programmes by as much as 50%. Done with a view to making higher education affordable, the FCCU “believes that this decision would allow students from various socioeconomic backgrounds to get an affordable and quality education”. Further, the FCCU “hopes that it would also improve diversity within the student body, allowing students from various backgrounds to learn and interact with each other and contribute to the progress and development of the country”. Most importantly, the fee reduction is not just an announcement of good intent. The FCCU first made a serious effort to mobilise alternative funding and made the exciting announcement only when it was secured. Most of our private sector universities have been set up as profitable ventures by reputed business families because they experience maximum ease of doing business in the market for higher education. Some sharing of tax-free profits with students will not do much harm.

Tailpiece 1. In the oldest seat of learning and my alma mater, Government College University, Lahore, “Educating to Prepare for Tomorrow” is said to have replaced “Courage to Know”, the old motto. Goodbye to critical thinking.

Tailpiece 2. Out of the 11 SBP Memorial Chairs, only five have been filled. Four out of these five were decided during the tenures of the previous governors. The incumbent has filled only one at the AJK University. Despite interviewing well-qualified candidates in October last year, six remain vacant. There is more to the SBP than the policy rate, Mr Governor.

Tailpiece 3. In the talk show, Breaking Point with Malick, the other day, the host took a dig at Waqar Masood, the recent addition to the SAPM platoon, for being part of all manner of governments, with a condescending guest. As a civil servant, Waqar had no choice. But the dig fitted the guest more, who served PML-N, Musharraf, PPP and caretakers, despite being on a terminable contract.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2020.

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