Too high a price for trusting HEC

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Pakistani students enrolled in universities abroad under HEC scholarships are afraid their enrollments might be cancelled due to nonpayment of dues by HEC, Pakistan Today learned on Sunday, they are also advising other students to avoid applying for scholarship programs under the HEC flagship.
Students sharing their woes with Pakistan Today said that they were forced to take up jobs to be able to pay their tuition as emails to HEC fell on deaf ears.
They said that not only is Pakistan’s government earning itself a bad reputation at the international level because of non-payment of dues but it has also jeopardized their future, as these foreign universities will soon start cancelling their enrollment. In response to this, an HEC official said that it is not HEC’s fault as the government has blocked payment of these scholars’ dues and funds for other development projects.
Although leaders of other political parties and educationists are condemning the federal government for not paying HEC’s dues for the last quarter of the financial year 2011-12, and educationists and the Federation of All Pakistan Universities will carry out protests over the issue but the situation has worsened for Pakistani students at foreign universities, as HEC has not paid their semester fees agreed upon availing these scholarships. A large number of Pakistani students are currently enrolled in various M Phil and Phd programs in foreign universities on HEC scholarships, through which Pakistan was expecting to increase the number of Phd’s at home.
In the last ten years a large number of Pakistani students and faculty members of Pakistan’s universities received Phd degrees under a number of scholarships and aimed to achieve a hundred percent Phd faculty employment; and HEC scholarships helped universities get closer to achieving this goal.
Under this government HEC has faced a number of issues especially when the parliamentarians’ fake degrees came to HEC for verification. After that HEC faced the pressure of withdrawn grants by the government but it was also only foreign enrolled scholars that have suffered a lot for the last two years as they fear the cancellation of their admission over nonpayment.
Last year when HEC faced the issue of devolution and had not paid the dues of foreign students, protests were arranged by students that had led HEC to pay finally the dues. These students are facing the same problem this year again.
Currently Pakistani students are studying at USA, US, China, Australia, Sweden and other parts of the world and they all are condemning the government and HEC over the fee nonpayment issue.
“We are not at home, we can’t even hold a protest for our demands. Our parents are worried and so are we,” a student in the UK said.
According to a Phd student who wishes to stay anonymous, the situation is worse not only for him but other students too as they continuously face the fear of cancellation of enrollment over not paying dues. He said that they informed HEC about this but have not received a satisfactory reply. He said the students would have to withdraw their admission and save money to return home since they were left with no other option. He added that soon scholars will start returning back without completing their degrees.
“I am being forced to withdraw my admission and am working in a store to save enough money for the ticket home. HEC and these parliamentarians have destroyed my dreams and I hope they pay for it,” a student in tears told Pakistan Today over phone from Poland.
“The government has not given us the funds that were promised for 2011-12. We are aware of the problems the students are facing but we can’t help. Even universities inside the country are suffering,” an HEC official asking not to be named said.
“I am being forced to withdraw my admission and am working in a store to save enough money for the ticket home. HEC and these parliamentarians have destroyed my dreams and I hope they pay for it,” a student
“The government has not given us the funds that were promised for 2011-12. We are aware of the problems the students are facing but we can’t help. Even universities inside the country are suffering,” an HEC official.

5 COMMENTS

  1. Students without enough money should not go to a foreign country for studies as opportunities are available in Pakistan.

  2. O bhai students! Govt pehlay Dual Nationality and Contempt of Court jaisay critical and Pakistan saving bills pass kar ly phir tumhari parhai ka sochay gi.. Khud kuch khayal karoo yar.. tumhari parhai zaroori hy ya phir ky in logoun ki IMMUNITY!!

  3. omg…. got a txt from ma dad last night regarding to do apply for Ph.D scholarship, but it seems that after finishing ma studies here in England, should search out for a job instead of these SO CALLED SCHOLARSHIPS… 😀

  4. Higher education is most vital for any country's future as it is under thisumbrella that all the technicians, engineers, social scientists, educationists, researchers will thrive to change the future and change Pakistan totally

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