DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) held a major educational jirga to shed light on the growing challenges facing higher education and public universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The event saw large-scale participation from government representatives, opposition parties, political leaders, higher education experts, civil society, teachers, students, intellectuals, and parents.
Representatives from teachers’ and employees’ associations of various universities across the province also attended the gathering.
PUTA President Dr. Zakirullah Jan and General Secretary Dr. Farooq warmly welcomed the participants and emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the KP Higher Education Commission both administratively and financially.
Speakers at the jirga expressed serious concern over the declining state of public sector universities, blaming forced government policies for a sharp dropout rate reaching 70 percent. They highlighted that due to significant increases in tuition and other fees, the enrollment rate has plunged to just 8–9 percent, threatening the future of higher education access for the province’s youth.
They stressed that salaries and pensions of university employees must be protected and that sufficient budgetary allocations for universities be ensured in the upcoming provincial budget. They also called for greater student representation in decision-making processes, saying that meaningful participation was key to solving student-related issues.
The jirga called on all political parties to raise their voices for the betterment of higher education and to push for sustainable solutions that can safeguard the academic future of KP.
