Decentralising degrees

When it comes to higher education in Sindh, students often face a limited range of choices regarding available universities that cater to both their field and their range of mobility. Currently, there are a total of 73 public and private universities in Sindh, and most of them are concentrated in the provincial capital — Karachi. Therefore, students outside of the capital often have no choice but to either relocate or re-evaluate their choices according to their accessibility. To combat this problem, the Sindh government has decided to bring four-year long Bachelor of Studies (BS) programmes to 164 government colleges on top of the 60 colleges that already offer them. The Secretary for Colleges has also declared that affiliations from additional universities are in process as well.

This move represents a long-overdue attempt to decentralise higher education and address geographic inequities that have persisted for decades. For students in interior Sindh, the cost of relocation, including rent, transport and living expenses, often makes university education an unattainable privilege rather than a public right. Expanding BS programmes to government colleges has the potential to reduce this burden, allowing students to pursue quality education closer to home.

As always, it is a welcome move, but its success relies on meaningful implementation. Government colleges already struggle with staff shortages, outdated laboratories, overcrowded classrooms and limited research facilities. Alongside provision of programmes, colleges also require staff training, curriculum development and infrastructural accommodations. Simply extending programme duration without improving quality would undermine both students' futures and the credibility of public education.

But if the government does pour in reasonable investment, this expansion can bring a much-needed shift in the higher education landscape in Sindh, while also empowering regional institutions. The government must treat this initiative as a structural reform — one that recognises education as a public necessity.