Rs2.5b for Balochistan varsities

Govt moves to ease burden of cash-strapped campuses

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo approved the release of a Rs2.5 billion grant-in-aid for 10 universities in the province.

CM Bizenjo chaired a meeting in this regard on Friday, which reviewed the financial and administrative issues of the universities of Balochistan.

Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of all universities participated in the meeting.

Chief Secretary Balochistan, Abdul Aziz Uqaili also attended the meeting.

The release of grant-in-aid has come after a protest by staff and faculty members of the University of Balochistan and Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS).

As per the set formula, the grant would be distributed among the universities in the province, an official handout issued on Friday said. The VCs thoroughly briefed the CM about the financial and administrative issues in universities.

“Our future is linked with these universities and the government would support them,” said the chief minister.

He said the present government has decided to do investment in the education sector to enable students to compete on national and international levels.

According to the formula of the National Finance Commission (NFC), the universities of the province should get a nine per cent share from the Higher Education Commission, it was agreed in the meeting. Currently, the share given by HEC to the universities of the province is 4.5 per cent.

Campuses are facing financial problems because of not getting the full share. In total, the universities face a shortfall of Rs2.9 billion annually.

The total income of universities in terms of fees is Rs1.4 billion, the VCs informed the meeting.

They mentioned that Rs3.4 billion are provided by the HEC.

The provincial government gives Rs2.5 billion grants-in-aid. The chief secretary along with the VCs of universities will meet the Chairman HEC to discuss the matter of funding.

The matter will be discussed to provide its due share of nine per cent to Balochistan under the NFC award.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2022.