Science and Technology Ministry In-charge, and Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Atta-ur-Rehman has said the government allocation for the higher education has been increased from Rs 800 million in the last fiscal to Rs 5 billion in the current financial year.
He expressed hope that the allocation for this sector would be further raised to Rs 9.7 billion next year.
He stated this while speaking at the inauguration of the Irish Education Fair, organised by 'Enterprise Ireland' at a local hotel on Wednesday, where 11 educational institutions from Ireland were represented.
He said the government is pursuing a three-pronged policy to promote higher education in the country, adding the policy, after five years, would help produce 1,500 PhDs annually as against 200 being turned out per annum at present.
Explaining the steps taken for the promotion of higher education, Dr Atta said another programme being implemented provides scholarships to 200 students for the PhD level education in different universities abroad, and observed that while no students were being sent for higher studies to Ireland at present. "We will look into the possibility," he observed.
Appreciating the Irish educational fair and the first ever visit of an Irish education delegation to Pakistan, Dr Atta said it would help develop links between educational institutions of the two countries in different fields, and would benefit both.
Apart from the increased budgetary allocation for higher education, steps have also been taken not only to check the brain drain but to reverse the tide by attracting qualified scholars from abroad by offering attractive incentives, said Dr Atta.
"Not only are highly qualified Pakistanis serving in different universities of the world being attracted, but foreigners too are being offered high salaries and other incentives including postings at universities of their choice, across the country."
He said some Japanese scholars are already serving in Pakistan, adding "We would also welcome Irish scholars to come here to educate our students at university level."
Dr Atta-ur-Rehman said special attention is also being paid to improvement of infrastructure at universities.
"Laboratories and libraries at the varsities are being upgraded, computerised and fibre-linked to enable the faculty and students of different universities to share knowledge."
The minister said the government is also focusing on the quality of education, observing "Universities are not glorified colleges."
He said institutes failing to maintain certain set standards have been issued warnings and would be closed down if they failed to meet the parameters, as there could be no compromise on the quality of education, he observed.
The minister said government also plans to launch top up programme under which students completing higher education here would be sent for further education for one year at some foreign university.
The minister also suggested to Irish educationists to look into possibility of starting joint ventures with Pakistani universities providing facility to students to carry out study in higher education for two years here and for reaming two years in Ireland.
Later, responding to queries by journalists, the minister said that in 2002 cabinet had decided 'to give five years time to universities in private sector to improve their infrastructure and faculty to meet certain standards. "Working of these varsities is being monitored constantly with those not showing improvement being issued warnings and would have to pack up ultimately if failed to meet certain standards."
About the opening of new Universities in public sector by different provincial governments the minister said, "Similar strict policy would be adopted in case of these varsities as in case of private varsities.
To a question about enforcement of Model Universities Ordinance, the minister said, "Government has adopted flexible approach in this regard and educationists have certain genuine reservations in this regard which we are trying to redress."
Earlier, the minister went round all the information counters set up by different Irish educational Institutions participating in the fair and asked about the courses offered by them.
Briefly speaking on the occasion, Regional Director Enterprise Ireland Nick Marmion appreciated the interest shown by students and educational institutions in the fair and said "We are looking forward to discuss with Pakistani educationist and government officials the ways and means to develop and promote educational links between the two countries.
Comments
Comments are closed.