PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s public universities face a combined financial deficit of Rs5.6 billion, prompting the provincial Higher Education Department to seek federal assistance as nearly 200,000 students face the impact of mounting financial pressures.
The provincial secretary for higher education has written to the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), outlining the difficulties facing universities and the growing fee burden on students and their families, according to reports published on November 8.
In this regard, the 26 of the province’s 34 public universities are operating with financial deficits.
The department has requested a special federal grant of Rs18 billion to help address the financial difficulties.
The figures highlight the scale of the funding challenge across the province’s public higher education sector.
The request seeks additional assistance for institutions already struggling to balance available resources against their financial obligations.
The letter states that approximately 200,000 students enrolled in public universities are being affected by financial difficulties, with families facing an increasing burden from fees.
The department has argued that placing further financial pressure on students is inappropriate. Its request links additional public funding with the need to avoid shifting more university costs onto households already paying for higher education.
The letter presents student affordability as a central concern alongside institutional finances, asking authorities to address university deficits without adding further pressure through increased fees.
The letter identifies rising salary and pension expenses as a continuing financial burden.
It also states that HEC grants declined by 6.3 percent over three years, while expenditure increased by more than 18 percent.
The department reported an accumulated grant shortfall of Rs18 billion over the past decade.
These figures describe a widening gap between funding and expenditure, with recurring expenses placing additional pressure on university budgets.
Federal Support and Funding Changes Sought
The provincial government has increased its university grant to Rs11.85 billion, but the department considers this insufficient to resolve the financial difficulties.
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The cited reports did not specify whether federal authorities or the HEC had approved the request or announced a timetable for a decision. The assistance therefore remains a request rather than confirmed funding.
