Many folks from that generation which saw the targeted aid from the US work for the war-torn West Europe after the Second World War are still alive across the globe and particularly in the United States and Europe. The architect of this important initiative was George Marshall, the then Secretary of State of the US government.

In the wake of rising tide of communism next door in East Europe, Marshall and his team prepared a 15 billion dollar package in 1947-48 to assist in physical, economic and institutional reconstruction of West European states. These recipient states were able to post most impressive performance indicators during and after the plan period. While many analysts argued that the internal buoyancy and strive were also contributing factors, Marshall’s plan assistance had a significant role to play in European recovery. Since then the Marshall Plan has become proverbial for situations of economic recovery and revitalisation.

Pakistani universities, especially those in the public sector, are in need of a Marshall Plan. Despite the fact that the federal government in 2013-14 budget committed a reasonable Rs57.4 billion towards the development of higher education, the situation on the ground is anything but satisfactory.

Managements of many universities have informed that the releases from Higher Education Commission (HEC) have been further cut by 30 per cent of previous figures. This step has made even payment of salaries to staff and faculty a near impossible task. Very paltry development funds have been released since the previous regime took control in 2008. Not more than 5pc schemes are reported to have been approved by the concerned government agencies. As a consequence, the overall higher education sector continued to dampen in performance.

The current scenario is not conducive either. The new government has inherited a crippled economy which it now claims to mend and bolster through reforms and innovative steps. But the priorities shall be deeply affected due to evolving emergency compulsions in spending. The disastrous floods in different parts of the country shall account for fresh allocations to fund the relief and rehabilitation. The ongoing war on terror shall create an expanded demand in resource diversion towards security needs. And a revived requirement for food security will raise the priority for investment in agriculture and the livestock sector. The question arises whether the higher education sector and universities shall be able to justify their much established financial requirements across the stringently contested public funds. And secondly, how can the government respond to the joint needs of universities across the country. Several aspects may be reviewed in this respect.

Spread of formal higher education was considered as deterrent against the spread of obscurantist values and propaganda amongst the youth. It is a well-known fact that a sizable number of young people are enticed by clandestine networks of quasi-religious orientation. The brain washing and training conducted in such outfits are done in an organised manner. Such nefarious tendencies eventually produced skillful terrorists and terror planners. A cursory review of the revealed information about terrorists informs that they mostly hailed from locations where access and options of formal education were very low. Hence they fell prey to the subversive propaganda of terror mongers and ended up as fodder for the leadership of terrorists.

A direct correlation exists between access to higher education and crime/terrorism. Some reports tell us that access to higher education in Pakistan is 8pc, far lower than many countries in the region. It shows that the youth is not able to enter into the higher end job market and becomes frustrated with the passage of time.

Social scientists and academic managers have been stressing for human resource development to promote knowledge economy. Very basic constructs can help establish the argument. Development of applied sciences can cause enormous enhancement in value addition. Local engineers have successfully demonstrated the production of bio-diesel from various wild plants. At the laboratory and pilot scale, these experiments have been very successful. This prospective enterprise needs necessary infrastructure in the form of industrial incubators and technology upscaling initiatives to enter into commercial scale production.

Researchers in electronics engineering have designed sophisticated hardware components that can revolutionise our industry. But due to inadequate facilities, these researchers have to go to industrialised locations to develop their designed innovations. If targeted investment is done in these sub sectors of knowledge economy, the country shall reap the benefits in multiple forms. Expanded employment, development of indigenous capacity in sophisticated domains of production, ability to forge partnerships with industrialised countries and invaluable contribution to local economy are some visible advantages that can fall in our way by assigning higher education and research its due place in our priorities. None of these benefits can be reaped without investment in higher education.

A section of our intelligentsia criticises any investment done in higher education. They are of the opinion that the country requires consolidation and input in elementary education and programmes for enhancing literacy. It is a common observation that absence of qualified and capable school teachers is a huge handicap that hampers in the expansion of elementary education.

Universities and institutions of higher learning have the capacity to undertake training and development to build a capable lot of teachers. Many faculties of education in universities have very progressive departments and units designed to produce competent teachers. Thus the interface between various levels of education can be firmed up if every sub-sector is assigned its due share of importance and resource allocation. It is crucial to note that higher education helps develop the capacity in societies to explore diversification in economies. New frontiers are discovered that lead to expansion of job creation, production and purposeful utilisation of local resources.

The phenomenal rise in the medium and high-end textile design and expansion of a vibrant local market is a case in point. Many institutions are offering credible degree programmes and other qualifications that are helping the textile entrepreneurs achieve new milestones in production and outreach. Media, arts, publications and software development are other examples where investment in education of young cadres has produced results. Knowledge and innovation has made it happen.

Pakistan can ill afford to let the edifice of higher education fall. Perhaps its fallout will be more disastrous than conventional terrorism. This sector needs urgent attention of our national finance manager.

The writer is professor and chairman, Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University, Karachi.