A Meeting held at HEC Headquarters sixty VCs of Public Sector Universities participated
VCs seek more funds for varsities
SHR Jahfery
Islamabad—A meeting of the Vice Chancellors Committee of the HEC held here Monday at HEC Headquarters Islamabad, in which sixty Vice-Chancellors of Public Sector Universities participated. HEC spokesperson said that Mazhar-ul-Haq Siddiqui, Chairman Vice Chancellor’s Committee, chaired the conference.
Begum Shehnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector and In-Charge HEC, also attended the meeting. All the Vice Chancellors reaffirmed their continued commitment for promotion of quality of higher education sector in Pakistan.
He said that all the Vice-Chancellors appreciated the keen interest of the President, the Prime Minister and their government, especially the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector, Begum Shehnaz Wazir Ali. The Vice-Chancellors were unanimous in their opinion that education should have the highest priority and must be the first item on the agenda of the national budget.
He observed that the Vice-Chancellors were of the considered opinion that the education budget needs to be increased in line with norms in the world, and especially with the average of the regional countries.
They were clear that while education budget is small, the proportion going into higher education, compared to other education sector, is way below international norms. He further added that it was also decided that the chancellors committee may also be convened and the Vice Chancellors of the public sector universities may be invited to meet with Prime Minister and President of Pakistan regarding their current problems. All the Vice Chancellors were of the view that all commitments already undertaken by universities must be honoured by a special bail-out package.
They were of the view after a long time; universities were put on a steep trajectory of development. Suffocating them at this point in time by huge budgetary cuts will have devastating consequences. The meeting of the Committee ended with a vote of thanks to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for its accelerating efforts for provision of necessary funds to the universities.
