Government at Federal and Provincial levels must advocate an “education” emergency in Pakistan / VICE CHANCELLORS DEMAND

Government at Federal and Provincial levels must advocate an “education” emergency in Pakistan

PRESS CONFERENCE by the VICE CHANCELLORS
March 27, 2012
Over 130 Vice Chancellors from public and private sector universities met on March 26-27, 2012 to discuss challenges facing the higher education. At the end of the meeting, Engr. Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, Chairperson, Vice Chancellors’ Committee along with a few other Vice Chancellors addressed a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday. Key points are as follows:

1. Finance Minister Dr. Hafeez Shaikh was kind to be with the Vice Chancellors yesterday and shared his thoughts with us. He fundamentally said three things:

i. HEC has performed well
ii. The Government has supported HEC in difficult circumstances, and
iii. The financial commitments made to HEC, both on the recurring and development side will be honoured by the Government
The Vice Chancellors were very pleased with the assurance given by the Finance Minister and were hoping for quick release for additional Rs. 4.60 billion for the third and the fourth quarters. This will take care of 50 % and 15 % salary raise announced by the Government in the last two years.
The Vice Chancellors also demanded the Federal Government to allocate and release the additional Rs. 2.5 billion development grant to allow completion of existing projects and spread of higher education.
The Vice Chancellors pledged to enhance the role of universities to serve as engine of socio-economic growth of Pakistan in support of national economic policies.
2. Another theme that came out of this conference is that the higher education does not exist in isolation and is integrally linked to the entire education sector.
3. The Vice Chancellors believe that the universities should be leaders of “revolution” in education and address the root cause of our education problem.
4. Government at Federal and Provincial levels must advocate an “education” emergency in Pakistan and start forceful campaign for awareness.
5. The Vice Chancellors believe that the first charge to the national budget should be “education” which must be sacrosanct.
6. The minimum investment in education has to be 4 % of the GDP.
7. This is the only sustainable solution to our Education system and the only road towards sustainable development of Pakistan.