The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has demanded of the government that the allocation of funds must be enhanced to meet expenditures of the universities which are currently facing a major financial crisis due to increasing expenditures.
A presentation of the HEC on financial status and current challenges revealed that the impact of government investment in higher education is visible in different sectors. The government must increase expenditure up to 4 percent on education sector, which is crucial for national development.
The expenditure in education sector as percentage of GDP was 1.93 percent in 2007 against the allocation of 2.44 percent of the GDP during this period. Presentation further revealed that expenditure in education sector, as percentage of GDP was 1.51 percent in 2002, 2.06 % in 2000, and 2.5 percent in 1995 while 2.1 percent in 1990.
Similarly it was also revealed that percentage of education budget allocated to Higher Education was 15.6 percent in 2008 of total education budget. Presentation also revealed that recurring funds declined to Rs 12.5 billion in 2008 against Rs 16.1 billion in 2007 showing a decrease of 23 percent. Similarly development funds decreased to Rs 12 billion in 2008 against Rs 16.2 billion in 2007 indicating a decrease of 26 percent. Due to funding deficit HEC freeze on sending scholars abroad for PhD scholars was scrapped and implementation of UESTP program.
Nasir Khan, Director IMS, Peshawar said that without the release of funding committed by the HEC, the institution will be compelled to call back its scholars, stop all civil works scheme, raise fees, curtail scholarships for needy and talented students, while cuts in recurring budgets would have far reaching implications, it is under funded development projects that are cause of greater concern.
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