A meeting of vice chancellors of the Sindh region was hosted by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) at its regional centre in Karachi on Thursday. Caretaker federal minister for education and professional training Madad Ali Sindhi was the chief guest on the occasion.
HEC Chairman Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed also attended the meeting, which was aimed at fostering collaborative efforts towards advancing the quality of higher learning in the higher education institutions (HEIs) of the Sindh region.
The meeting provided an opportunity to collectively explore strategies and initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of education across the higher education sector of the region.
An overview of the funding allocations granted to Sindh’s universities was also shared. Dr Ahmed briefed the minister how transparency is ensured by the HEC to disburse funds among HEIs, and provided a comprehensive overview of the financial support provided for various academic endeavours.
The meeting also reviewed the accomplishments of Sindh’s public universities in relation to the targets set by the HEC. They also highlighted the challenges faced by the public universities in the province.
The minister assured all possible support of the federal government for the development of the higher education sector in Sindh. He appreciated the efforts of the HEC and the universities for the promotion of quality higher education during the past two decades.
Dr Ahmed said that over 4,000 educational institutions are affiliated with universities. The quality of education in these affiliated educational institutions needs to be improved. “For this the universities must make their monitoring system systematic and rational. In this regard, we all need to work together to bring the quality of education and research in line with international standards.”
The VCs of the Sindh region recommended the enhancement of research grants, providing opportunities for training and development for faculty, increasing manpower in educational institutes, opening up avenues for public-private partnerships, and ensuring industry-academia linkages.
Fuuast audit
Assures Fuuast delegations of action to address varsity’s financial crisis Separately, Caretaker Federal Minister for Education Madad Ali Sindhi assured a delegation of teachers from the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology that he would take action to address the financial crisis facing the university.
The delegation, which included Fuuast Teachers Union General Secretary Dr Irfan Aziz, Treasurer Dr Shujaat-ul-Din, Prof Muhammad Sadiq and Convener Committee of Retired Teachers Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, met with the minister and expressed their concerns about the university’s financial situation.
They said the university was facing a shortage of funds, which was affecting the payment of the salaries and pensions of the faculty members and staff. They also expressed concern about the issue of illegal appointments to the university.
The federal minister told the delegation that he was aware of the issues facing the university and that he was taking steps to address them. He said he would order a special audit to determine the reasons for the financial crisis and that he would take action to address the issue of illegal appointments. He also promised to provide a special grant to the university to help it overcome its financial difficulties.
The teachers welcomed the assurance of the federal minister and expressed confidence that he would take steps to improve the situation at the university. The university had been facing financial difficulties for some time. The financial crisis has had a negative impact on the university’s operations. Salaries and pensions have been delayed, and there have been cuts to academic programs and services.
The teachers in their statement said that the assurance of the Federal Minister for Education is a welcome development. It is hoped that the steps he has promised to take will help to improve the financial situation of the varsity and enable it to continue to provide quality education to its students.
Published at The News on 1st September 2023