Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), provided an update on the financial support for universities in Sindh. Responding to worries about funding cuts, Dr. Ahmed assured everyone that universities in Sindh will continue to receive funding after June 1, as originally planned.
Dr. Ahmed explained the background of the idea to stop funding for provincial universities. He shared that this concept came up when Waseem Ajmal was the federal education secretary. However, he made it clear that this idea never advanced past the early planning stages and was not implemented.
Dr. Ahmed outlined the rules surrounding funding decisions for provincial universities, emphasizing that any decision to stop grants must be approved by the Council of Common Interests. He stressed that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) firmly opposed any proposal to halt funding without proper authorization, as it would violate established procedures.
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Dr. Ahmed praised the provincial government’s efforts to support universities in Sindh, highlighting the significant increase in grant allocation. He revealed that reports showed the funding had risen from Rs. 26 billion to Rs. 40 billion, reflecting a strong commitment to improving higher education in the region.
Dr. Ahmed shared his optimism about the expected increase in funding, predicting that it would help stabilize universities financially. With the additional grants, he believed that the financial difficulties faced by educational institutions would lessen, leading to a more robust academic environment in Sindh.