Vice Chancellors strongly criticize cut in Higher Education Budget 2020-21

EducationVice Chancellors strongly criticize cut in Higher Education Budget 2020-21

By Hamid Khan Wazir

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Vice-Chancellors of all Public Sector Universities have expressed their strong criticism of the recent cuts imposed by the Finance Ministry on the Federal Budget 2020-21 for Higher Education.

A resolution passed by the University Heads after the Vice-Chancellors Committee meeting held online on Tuesday stated that Pakistani universities are already under enormous financial stress because of the squeezing of their budgets for the last three years.

Currently, the COVID-19 crisis has further exacerbated the situation, both by increasing costs and by reducing the inflows of tuition fees.

The Vice-Chancellors appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, and the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh to immediately reverse the cuts, and enhance the higher education budget 2020-21 to the levels needed by Universities.Budget 2020-21 - The Vice-Chancellors of all Public Sector Universities have expressed their strong criticism of the recent cuts imposed by the Finance Ministry on the budget 2020-21 for Higher Education. A resolution passed by the University Heads after the Vice-Chancellors Committee meeting held online on Tuesday stated that Pakistani universities are already under enormous financial stress because of the squeezing of their budgets for the last three years. Currently, the COVID-19 crisis has further exacerbated the situation, both by increasing costs and by reducing the inflows of tuition fees. The Vice-Chancellors appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, and the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh to immediately reverse the cuts, and enhance the higher education budget to the levels needed by universities. The resolution emphasized that the future of the country depends critically on the future of education, especially higher education. If the funding cuts are not reversed, some universities will not be able to survive. It will force some universities to raise tuition fees at a time when students are unable or unwilling to pay regular tuition because of the virus pandemic. The VCs asked the Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Tariq Banuri to arrange a meeting of a delegation of the Vice-Chancellors to call upon the honorable prime minister to apprise him of the difficulties faced by universities because of the repeated budget cuts over the last three years. The Vice-Chancellors also expressed their unequivocal opposition to the actions of some elements to change legal provisions and undermine the autonomy of universities, especially draft changes in the Punjab Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Nowhere in the world has the quality of education improved without full autonomy of Universities. The efforts to undermine the universities are not only against Universities, it is also against Pakistan, the resolution stated.

The resolution emphasized that the future of the Country depends critically on the future of education, especially higher education.

If the funding cuts are not reversed, some universities will not be able to survive. It will force some universities to raise tuition fees at a time when students are unable or unwilling to pay regular tuition because of the virus pandemic.

The VCs asked the Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Tariq Banuri to arrange a meeting of a delegation of the Vice-Chancellors to call upon the honorable prime minister to apprise him of the difficulties faced by universities because of the repeated budget cuts over the last three years.

The Vice-Chancellors also expressed their unequivocal opposition to the actions of some elements to change legal provisions and undermine the autonomy of Universities, especially draft changes in the Punjab Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Nowhere in the world has the quality of education improved without full autonomy of Universities. The efforts to undermine the universities are not only against Universities, it is also against Pakistan, the resolution stated.

Mati
Mati
Mati-Ullah is the Online Editor For DND. He is the real man to handle the team around the Country and get news from them and provide to you instantly.

Must read

Recent News

Moscow says it won’t allow US to silence UNSC on Israeli violence against Palestinians Monitoring Desk: Russian envoy in United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said that the UN Security Council should bring peace, stability and prosperity to the Middle East and Russia would not allow United States to silence UNSC over the issue of Gaza crisis. According to TASS news Agency, Nebenzya said that Moscow will continue to call for an end to violence against Palestinians and will not allow the US to muzzle the UN Security Council as Washington seeks to support Israel's operation in Gaza. "We will continue to stand firmly for ending violence against the Palestinians. Without a shadow of a doubt, we will continue to expose the abuses and sanctimony with which the US is handling the situation. We will not allow the Americans to gag the entire council with their hands in an effort to encourage further continuation of Israel's ruthless operation," he said in a speech at the Security Council.

Moscow won’t allow the US to silence the UNSC on Israeli violence against Palestinians

0
Monitoring Desk: Russian envoy to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said that the UN Security Council should bring peace, stability, and prosperity to the...

From Valdai to Margalla Dialogue —- All roads to Civilisations go through Islamabad

0
By Shazia Anwer CheemaThe emergent realities of global security are fundamentally transforming the frame of references and trajectorial approaches toward them. New security architecture...

12 more men in uniform embraced martyrdom for the motherland in Pakistan

0
Monitoring Desk: 12 more men in uniform embraced martyrdom for the motherland in Pakistan, said Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pakistan Army.On...
Dr. Attia Anwar

Lifelong learning

0
By Dr. Attia AnwarAs we age, our minds and mental health become more important. We should try to maintain and improve them. Education is...
12th Defense Expo 'Ideas 2024' 'Weapons for Peace' a major step in defense diplomacy

12th Defense Expo ‘Ideas 2024’ ‘Weapons for Peace’ a major step in defense diplomacy

0
By Asghar Ali MubarakIdeas 2024, the global exhibition of defense equipment, will begin today at the Karachi Expo Center on November 19, in which...
Advertisement