After the assurance by the Ministry of Finance for releasing funds to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for the public sector universities, the HEC has directed all the varsities to start paying enhanced salaries to their employees, which the government had announced during the last two years.
“The Ministry of Finance has promised to release Rs 4.613 billion to the HEC in fourth quarter. After this assurance, we have directed to all public sector universities to pay enhanced salaries to their employees, from January 1, 2012,” said HEC Executive Director Dr Sohil Naqvi on Friday.
It is relevant to note that the government was not paying increased salaries to the university employees for the last one year, which it had pledged during the 2010 and 2011.
In 2010, the government announced 50 percent raise in the salary of the universities employees but it was halted next year, while citing that it was just a one-time raise.
Similarly, the employees are also not being paid 15 percent increase pledged by the government in the current fiscal year budget.
Dr Naqvi said the now the universities would give both 50 percent and 15 enhanced salaries to their employees from January 1, 2012.
Talking about the World Bank’s pledge for giving US $300 to the HEC, Dr Naqvi said the WB would release the amount through the Ministry of Finance.
He said during the last year, an agreement was inked between Economic Affairs Division Secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan and WB for $300 grant for Pakistan’s higher education Sector. The WB would release said amount under its Tertiary Education Support Programme in three instalments, he added.
A senior official of HEC said the WB grant would be spent on various programmes to improve higher education sector, including faculty development; quality assurance; research, innovation and entrepreneurship; improving equitable access; excellence in leadership governance and management; and financial management and sustainability.
Thank U Govt !
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