Minister reviews pay-scale system in higher educational institutions

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that to promote higher education in the country, an attractive salary structure is essential to attract world-class experts and PhDs to educational institutions.

The minister expressed these views while chairing a meeting to review the performance and recommendations of the task force formed to assess the pay scale system in higher educational institutions. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) with concern from finance departments of federal and provincial institutions.

The minister underscored that low salaries justify the migration of talented youth abroad, resulting in the country losing access to highly skilled professionals.

He emphasised the importance of providing excellent opportunities within Pakistan to retain these educated and skilled individuals.

He said that at present, it is crucial for the nation’s future to include Pakistani experts with PhDs from prestigious global universities in local universities.

He added that providing competitive salaries to highly educated, skilled, and experienced teachers is vital for national development. To raise the standard of education in the country, investment in the education sector is necessary to ensure that top professionals, experts and experienced teachers offer their services in Pakistan’s higher educational institutions, he said.

While addressing the task force meeting, Federal Minister Iqbal stated that the task force was established during the 16-month tenure of the PDM government to restore the current pay scale in higher educational institutions and align it with global market demands. He emphasised that even in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing, it is challenging to attract top-notch professors under the current pay scale of Grade 21.

He further pointed out that many PhD holders, who have studied abroad under the country’s educational bond, often prefer private sector jobs or seek better opportunities in the Middle East. He stressed that increasing the number of PhDs should not merely focus on producing degree holders but on preparing talented individuals who can contribute to Pakistan’s development.

Concluding the meeting, the minister directed all provinces to work with HEC with concerned finance departments to prepare recommendations for restoring the pay scale system. Once the recommendations are finalised, a formal plan will be adopted at the federal and provincial levels. The federal minister also directed each province to appoint a representative for this task.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024