August 31, 2006	Thursday	Sha'aban 6, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Members of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) have expressed their concern over the slashing of the HEC’s budget by Rs5.7 billion, fearing a devastating effect to development projects the commission had initiated, official sources told Dawn.

They were furious during the commission’s 11th meeting held this Monday over the decision and asked HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman to request Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to personally intervene to restore the budget, they said.

The original recurring budget agreed by the Finance Division for universities was Rs15.7 billion. Subsequently, the government announced a 15 per cent increase in the salaries of teachers amounting to Rs1.2 billion, making the total requirement of Rs16.9 billion.

However, later on the Finance Division cut the recurring budget to Rs11.28 billion and suggested that the difference of Rs5.7 billion be met by self-generated funds.

They were of the unanimous view that cut in the budget had put the public-sector universities in precarious position, and demanded immediate reversal of the government’s decision, the sources said.

The grave situation caused by these cuts will directly affect the fate of an additional 60,000 students enrolled during the last 18 months due to the expansion of university enrolments and the introduction of four-year undergraduate degree programmes.

However, these steps have been taken to implement decisions taken at the chancellor’s committee meeting chaired by the president to expand access to the higher education sector to a much larger number of deserving students, they said.

Concerns were also raised at the future of 120 development programmes completed last year but will require recurring funds for their continuation otherwise they may have to be abandoned.

When contacted, HEC Executive Director Dr Sohail Naqvi said the commission was actively pursuing the Finance Division in this regard and hopefully the issue would be resolved.