FAPUASA Demands Increase in Education Funds

News Desk

Islamabad: The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), members of the Central Executive Council, and cabinet members of all provincial chapters strongly demanded from the central and all provincial governments an increase in budget for public sector universities across the country in the new annual budget 2023-2024.

They demanded the Federal government allocate Rs500 billion in the recurring budget for the higher education sector and Rs 200 billion in the development budget, and they have also strongly demanded from the provincial governments that they increase the grants in aid to the universities of their respective provinces.

They regretted that despite a high inflation rate, i.e., 38 per cent, during the last five years, the budget for the higher education sector across the board remained stagnant. The higher education sector has had to face budgetary cuts and delays in payments which resulted in the non-payment of salaries to the universities’ staff. There was no option for the teachers and employees of the universities except to protest.

The higher education sector is facing a crisis-like situation across the country. In light of the decision of the Council of Common Interest, 147 public sector universities with 88 campuses are mostly dependent upon the federal government for the release of required funds until the announcement of the next National Finance Commission (NFC) award. But the higher education sector, especially public-sector universities, has been ignored.

They said that all the developed countries of the world allocate at least 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) and neighbouring countries up to 4 percent of their GDP for the education sector, while Pakistan allocates barely 2 percent of its GDP for the education sector. There can be no development and prosperity with these low budgetary allocations for education.

All the provincial chapters of FAPUASA and the academic staff associations of all the universities are requested to organise demonstrations and budget seminars for the increase in the budget of the universities together with the officers and employees associations in the universities so that they could create awareness and convince the central and provincial governments to increase the budget.