THE article published in a contemporary publication ‘Defunding Varsities’ on October 16, 2024, raises an alarm about the slow dismantling of Pakistan’s higher education system, and it’s a wake-up call we cannot afford to ignore. Instead of strengthening and streamlining its universities, Pakistan took a path that has led to educational overexpansion and inefficiencies. While the rest of the world was consolidating and enhancing its institutions, Pakistan pursued a strategy of quantity over quality.
By upgrading countless colleges to universities and introducing trendy, market-oriented programs, the country has saturated the job market with graduates who often find themselves mismatched with the needs of the real economy. What began as a well-meaning attempt to expand access to education has now turned into a system that is failing its students and the nation as a whole.
Initially, this proliferation of universities and programs were viewed positively. Higher education became more accessible to a larger segment of the population, and “market-oriented” disciplines promised relevance in a fast-changing economy. But unregulated expansion has resulted in several serious issues. The most glaring is the overproduction of graduates in fields where demand is minimal or non-existent, creating an imbalance where many struggle to find jobs in their respective fields.
Rather than carefully analyzing market needs or engaging in meaningful consultation with industry stakeholders, institutions rushed to offer trendy programs, hoping to attract more students. This has resulted in a glut of graduates in some fields, while other important areas, like humanities, have been neglected. The obsession with “upgrading” colleges to universities has also diluted the quality of education. Many of these new universities lack the infrastructure, faculty, and resources to deliver high-quality programs.
This lack of standardization across curricula, evaluation methods and accreditation processes has left many graduates lacking the practical skills required by employers, contributing to high unemployment rates even among degree holders with excellent grades. There is an oversupply of graduates in certain fields, while critical skill shortages remain, often in the same fields!
Moreover, this unchecked expansion has exacerbated the urban-rural divide. While universities mushroomed in urban centres, rural areas, where access to quality education is most needed, were largely ignored. This has led to an influx of educated youth into cities where job opportunities are already scarce, further intensifying competition and frustration among graduates.
The financial pressure on Pakistan’s higher education system has also grown significantly, with government funding failing to keep pace with the rapid expansion of public universities. Government funding has stagnated at around Rs. 65 billion since 2018, despite rising operational costs and growing enrolments. This has created severe budget constraints, making it difficult for universities to maintain basic functions and sustain quality education.
Recent proposals to reduce federal funding by Rs24 billion have worsened the situation, raising concerns about long-term viability. Institutions have resorted to increasing tuition fee, placing a heavier burden on students, especially those from low-income backgrounds. Further complicating matters are governance inefficiencies and administrative mismanagement which hinder efforts to align education with market needs and improve the overall quality of higher education.
It’s high time Pakistan’s higher education policymakers revisit their approach. We must ask ourselves: Are we producing graduates that the market can absorb? Are we meeting the needs of a rapidly evolving global economy? Are we equipping our youth with the skills they need for the future? If the answer is no, it’s time to rethink our strategy.
The persistent budgetary shortfalls, compounded by inefficiencies in governance and resource management, are eroding the quality of education and limiting the opportunities for students to thrive in a competitive global economy. Simply increasing the number of graduates is not a solution if they lack the skills and knowledge the market demands.
We need a shift in Pakistan from quantity to quality—consolidating universities where necessary, ensuring adequate funding and focusing on developing curricula that align with the demands of both local industries and the global market. By prioritizing technical and vocational education, investing in faculty development, making headway in research and innovation and ensuring proper governance, we can equip students with the skills they need to succeed and create a sustainable higher education system that supports Pakistan’s future growth and innovation.
—The is a former Vice Chancellor, Government College University, Lahore.
(s.m.asghar.zaidi@gmail.com)
