Future funding for universities should be conditional on their performance, according to Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister of Federal Education and Professional Training.
The Minister stated, “Future funding must be based on how universities perform, and they should be encouraged to improve the calibre of their teaching and research. Our higher education institutions must put an emphasis on developing students’ talents, and particular steps should be taken to provide technical education in accordance with current market trends.”
The Minister went to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Secretariat, where Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC, gave a briefing on the commission’s accomplishments over the past 20 years, the difficulties the country’s higher education sector is currently facing, and the actions being taken to raise the standard of higher education.
He acknowledged the HEC’s financial issues and praised its performance in spite of them. In order to guarantee excellence at all levels of higher education, the minister again underlined the necessity for stricter regulations.
He said that higher education institutions should be regularly observed, and any institution to be failing to meet quality criteria should be counselled to do so.
The Minister was informed by Chairman HEC that since its founding, the HEC has not only contributed to the expansion of higher education institutions to a total of 249. It has also made significant efforts to raise the standard of research and education in Pakistan.
In order to help students, particularly those from underprivileged and rural locations, have access to higher education, he also spoke about the scholarship programs the HEC offers. He also emphasized the HEC’s overseas scholarship programs, which allow Pakistani students to attend renowned colleges all over the world.