Students abroad face visa, admission and other worries

As the fate of education attachés hangs in balance, students studying abroad deprived of state help.

ISLAMABAD:

The future of the lone educational attaché in Britain hangs in the balance. The confusion between Ministry of Education and inter-provincial coordination ministry has led to this situation, official sources said.

On the other hand, students studying abroad are facing several problems relating to their visas. They find difficulties in securing admissions abroad due to the non-availability of attachés in Pakistani embassies.

There are several countries including America, England, Turkey and Iran where a large number of students are getting education without the services of an attaché from Pakistan.

The posts for educational attaché were ended due to lack of funds. An official cited this as the reason why the post of educational attaché in Paris was changed to Deputy Representative, UNESCO.

Appointments of new educational attaché in Pakistani embassies abroad ended in 1997. These attachés used to help Pakistani students get admissions and provided help in visas process.

Before the 18th Amendment, educational ministry was tackling the matters related to these attaché which was later handed over to inter-provincial affairs ministry. Now no particular ministry is willing to accept the responsibility of appointing attachés in Pakistani embassies, sources added.

Inter-provincial affairs ministry has written a letter regarding funds for attachés to Capital Administration and Development Division. They have also inquired from the division about the replacement of these attachés so that Pakistani students studying abroad can be provided assistance.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2011.