ISLAMABAD: An initial assessment carried out by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has revealed that most universities in Pakistan are not well-equipped to offer education through online mode as of the total 205 universities only 40 had well-established learning management system.

The universities in Pakistan have been compelled to adopt an online mode of education to protect their faculty members, students, and staff from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a World Bank report.

In response to changing realities, the government has requested the World Bank to restructure the higher education development in Pakistan project to introduce a new component which focuses specifically on support to continued learning for all in case of unpredicted crises and university lockdowns as happened during the Covid-19 crisis.

A restructuring paper on higher education development in Pakistan says the project has so far disbursed $65 million out of the commitment of $400 million, and is rated moderately satisfactory for progress towards achieving its objectives which were to support research excellence in strategic sectors of the economy, improve teaching and learning and strengthen governance in the higher education sector.

The restructured project includes about $93 million in Covid-related funding which is allocated across most components of the project, according to the paper.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2021