ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: As many as five new universities and 36 campuses will be established across the country in the next three years, aimed at enhancing coverage of higher education at the district level.
The proposed plan will be executed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), an independent and constitutionally established institution of primary funding, overseeing, regulating, and accrediting the higher education efforts in Pakistan.
There are presently 171 public and private sector universities and 88 sub-campuses in the country.
In the budget for current fiscal year announced in June, the federal government earmarked Rs71.5 billion for the HEC out of which Rs20 billion was allocated for 143 projects of the commission which will support development plans of different universities all over the country.
The federal government also allocated Rs51 billion for current expenditures of the HEC.
While presenting the budget 2015-16 in the National Assembly in Islamabad on June 5, the Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the government believed in the promotion of education and ensure raising its standard.
The finance minister also said that the government stands by its commitment to increase expenditures on education sector equal to four percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) during its tenure.
