Grant increased for public sector universities

QUETTA, The provincial government has increased the grant for public sector uni- versities in Balochistan from Rs200 to Rs500 million with immediate effect in order to help resolve their financial problems.

The five public sector universities of the province had sought Rs1,427 million in grants from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for the financial year 2010-2011 to complete their development projects. However, they were provided only Rs837 million.

The universities have been facing financial difficulties since the last several years but this year their woes grew worse as the HEC cut their grants further.

The commission suggested that the universities generate funds through their own resources — that is, through enhancement of tuition fees, etc.

But the administrations of the universities and various bodies representing their students and staff opposed this option, saying Balochistan was a poor province and its people could not afford higher fees.

This year the universities could not send their teaching staff and students abroad for higher studies because of their financial woes, sources said.

They said that in view of the financial problems being faced by the universities, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani had approved the increase in government grants by Rs300 million.

The five public sector universities are the Balochistan University, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Balochistan University for Engineering, Khuzdar, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Lasbela, and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Quetta.