Pakistan’s education system, particularly its public universities, is teetering on the edge of collapse. Despite claims of economic progress by the current hybrid regime, the reality is starkly different. Inflation, debt rollovers, and regressive tax systems dominate the discourse, while the crumbling state of higher education is conveniently ignored. Public universities, once pillars of accessible and quality education, are now on the verge of financial and operational ruin.
The Decline of Public Universities
Public universities were established to ensure that no one is denied higher education due to financial constraints. However, this foundational principle has been eroded. Today, a significant portion of students in public universities are self-financing, paying exorbitant semester fees of up to Rs150,000. These students often face inadequate facilities, including poor hostel conditions, unreliable internet, and subpar basic amenities.
The quality of education has also plummeted. The Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) focus on incentivizing faculty publications has led to rampant plagiarism and a reliance on visiting faculty rather than permanent staff. This shift has degraded the academic environment, leaving students ill-prepared for the job market.
The Broken Promise of Social Mobility
A degree from a public university was once a gateway to stable employment and social mobility. Today, this promise is broken. Graduates face fierce competition for limited government jobs, while private sector employers increasingly favor graduates from private universities. Even those with advanced research degrees are forced into daily wage or online work, highlighting the disconnect between education and employment opportunities.
Faculty Struggles and Bureaucratic Overreach
University faculty are not immune to the crisis. Many are protesting delayed salaries, with some going unpaid for over a year. In Sindh, faculty members are resisting a controversial plan to appoint career bureaucrats as vice chancellors, a move that sidelines academic expertise and prioritizes administrative control over educational quality.
Neoliberal Policies and the Privatization Agenda
The root of this crisis lies in the state’s abandonment of its responsibility to provide affordable, quality education. Successive governments have embraced neoliberal policies, slashing funding for public universities and bowing to pressure from international lending agencies. These agencies advocate for further privatization, including phasing out permanent faculty, increasing fee-paying students, and even monetizing university land.
This shift mirrors the broader trend of privatizing public institutions, where profit motives overshadow the fundamental goal of public service. The result is a higher education system that prioritizes corporate management over academic excellence, leaving students and faculty to bear the brunt of this systemic failure.
Long-Term Implications for Pakistan
With a median population age of 23, Pakistan’s future hinges on its ability to provide quality education and generate employment. However, the current trajectory is alarming. Education is rapidly becoming a profit-driven enterprise, leaving millions of young people with empty promises and few opportunities.
The privatization of higher education is not just an academic issue; it is a national crisis. Without a coherent plan to address unemployment and improve educational quality, Pakistan risks squandering the potential of its youth. The state must reclaim its role as a provider of education, investing in public universities and ensuring that they remain accessible to all, regardless of financial means.
Conclusion
The meltdown of Pakistan’s public universities is a microcosm of the country’s broader challenges. Fancy rhetoric and reliance on external funding cannot mask the systemic failures that are pushing higher education to the brink. If Pakistan is to sync with the knowledge economy and secure a brighter future, it must prioritize education reform, reject privatization, and invest in its most valuable resource: its youth.
