Summary submitted to Cabinet's ECC: HEC seeks Rs 5 billion supplementary grant

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has submitted a summary to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet seeking a supplementary grant of Rs 5 billion for the current fiscal year to meet public-sector universities' expenses.

The HEC had demanded Rs 103.5 billion for the fiscal year 2019-2020 to meet current expenditures, but the government approved Rs 59 billion, and Rs 28 billion for the development sector against the demand of Rs 55 billion.

The government's allocation of Rs 59 billion for the current financial year to meet current expenditure was nine percent less than last year's budgetary allocation of Rs 65 billion and it was around 40 percent less than the demand of Rs 103 billion for the current fiscal year.

Sources said that the HEC had demanded a supplementary grant of Rs 5 billion for the current fiscal year to meet its public-sector universities expenses.

Sources revealed that the HEC was in contact with the government to realise the latter's importance of funding for the sector.

The HEC presented its case for allocation of budget on every forum including the Prime Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Finance and the cabinet, and the government promised positively in this regard.

During a press conference, HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri appealed to the prime minister for restoring the higher education sector's budget as it was affecting ongoing as well as future programmes.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan should do something practical to fulfill his promises. The HEC was in contact with the government to seek a reversal of the shortsighted policy," said the chairman, adding that Pakistan was providing the lowest level of funding to the higher education sector.

To avert crisis in public sector universities, the HEC again requested the Ministry of Finance for supplementary grant of Rs 21 billion, however, the finance ministry did not agree with the HEC's demand to allocate the required funds.

Following the direction of the Prime Minister, Imran Khan, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood moved a summary to the Prime Minister's Office for technical supplementary grant of Rs 10 billion; however, the finance ministry has advised to move a summary of Rs 5 billion grant to the HEC.