ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training (FE&PT) summoned the Secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives for the next meeting of the Committee for a detailed briefing on the bifurcation and disbursement of funds allocated to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training across various provinces and departments.
The Senate Standing Committee on FE&PT, at the ministry’s request, also proposed an evaluation of the budgetary allocations, advocating for an increase in funding for education.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee was held under the chair of Senator Bushra Anjum Butt at Parliament House on Thursday for discussions on allowances for professors and teachers, provision of classrooms, issues of retired teachers, degree attestations, and student-related concerns.
Senator Manzoor Ahmad had raised questions about the discontinuation of allowances for professors, teachers and employees of BUITEMS University. It was reported that these allowances were halted on the directive of the Governor of Balochistan, the university’s Chancellor. Despite multiple representations by the faculty, the university management’s case was not acceded to by the university’s syndicate. This matter will now be presented to the university senate for consideration. The committee chair directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to convene a meeting with provincial representatives to resolve this issue and to share the minutes of the meeting with the committee to address the issue in two weeks. While discussing the workings and performance of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), the committee decided to conduct an on-ground visit to evaluate its effectiveness. It was reported that the approved total cost is Rs 19,515 million, with an allocation of Rs 6,417.12 million for 2025.
In the first quarter, Rs 1,074,583 were released, with expenses as of September 25, 2024, amounting to Rs 317.214 million, and total liabilities incurred at Rs 757.2 million, leaving Rs 0.169 million in available funds.
Regarding the regularisation of 137 daily wage employees, Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on FE&PT Senator Bushra Anjum Butt summoned both parties for a public hearing to record their positions and seek a resolution.
Further, Senator Bushra Anjum also summoned universities involved in stopping student attestations to explain why they had not complied with the standing committee’s directive to draft a checklist and establish an information desk.
The chair stated that this reflects poorly on the university’s intentions, warning that serious action would be taken against any university found obstructing students in the attestation process.