FAPUASA holds meeting to safeguard higher education

Islamabad:Dr Muhammad Uzair, president, and Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi, General-Secretary, Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA) have expressed deep sorrow that instead of celebrating, the teaching community was compelled to hold a meeting to safeguard higher education in Pakistan on Independence Day.

In an online meeting, the Executive Council, FAPUASA, focused on the negligence of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and its failure to address critical issues facing the higher education sector in Pakistan.

The FAPUASA leadership highlighted the failure and incompetence of the HEC chairperson to commitments made during meetings on May 14 and June 24. Despite assurances, the HEC did not issue minutes of these meetings even after three months. Although formal requests were made to the HEC chief through messages and letters, he did not bother to respond.

"If they can't issue the minutes in three months, how they can resolve the pressing issues of the universities?" questioned the FAPUASA leaders. Key demands discussed during these meetings included the issuance of the BPS service structure policy, an increase in Tenure Track System (TTS) salaries and the restoration of Pakistan Studies as a compulsory subject in the undergraduate curriculum. Despite promises from the HEC chairperson and officials, no progress has been made.

FAPUASA leadership from across Pakistan, including presidents and general secretaries of provincial chapters, voiced their concerns over the HEC's poor role in safeguarding universities. They pointed out that the HEC consistently decreased budget allocations to provincial universities by 5% annually, exacerbating financial difficulties and delaying salary payments to university employees nationwide as well as the non-payment of salaries in some universities in Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The leaders criticised the disparity in salary increases, noting that while Vice Chancellors' salaries have been raised, TTS salaries remain stagnant since 2021 where government increased salaries by almost 80%.

“This clearly reflects the HEC’s attitude towards faculty,” they said. The FAPUASA leadership called on the government to instruct the HEC chairperson to resolve these issues within a week. Failing this, FAPUASA will have no option but to launch a protest campaign against the HEC chairperson.

The FAPUASA leadership also highlighted that HEC employees enjoy all perks, privileges and salary increases as on Aug 1, while universities teachers and staff suffer from decreased salaries due to increased taxes. They agreed to mobilise university employees by calling General Body meetings at each university in the first phase. This will be followed by meetings with parliamentarians and senators to sensitise them of the dire condition of HEC and its failure to perform its duties, as well as the rampant nepotism that severely damaged university education across Pakistan.