Lack of funds jeopardises higher education sector

He said, "The present government is not aware about the fact that higher education and scientific research in present time is very expensive undertaking. This is far less compared to India (7 per cent of its GDP) and Malaysia (2.7 per cent) and some other developing countries.

The government has forgotten the marvellous efforts of the HEC to boost up the higher education sector in the country under the leadership of Prof Dr Attaur Rahman.   

It is worth mentioning that the Karachi University is not beyond to current financial crisis being faced by the HEC, as the Karachi University is also waiting for Rs 220 million. Conversely, the Federal Urdu University for Arts, Science and Technology is also in need of Rs 70 million from HEC.

It is may be noted here that the decision of the government to deprive the higher education sector from its required monetary is being criticized in the educational circles of the country nowadays.  

Praising the efforts of the HEC, while talking to The Nation on Monday, Prof Dr Mazhaerul Haq, former Professor at the University of Karachi and later senior official at UNESCO, headquarters, Paris, said that the creation of Higher Education Commission in 2002 was a technocratic vision of the previous government at a time when the country was passing through development of various sectors of its economies.