PAKISTAN: US supports new financial aid programme

31 May 2009

The United States will provide US$4 million to expand the Higher Education Commission financial aid programme, which was launched at a national conference on public-private partnership for higher education in Islamabad last week, reports Dawn. The programme aims to expand and improve financial aid for higher education in Pakistan.

HEC-FAD will build the capacity of the Higher Education Commission and 11 Pakistani universities to establish financial aid offices, develop skills and knowledge for fundraising, and establish international linkages.

"USAID's HEC-FAD programme will provide Pakistani universities with useful, practical advice on fund-raising,' said the United States Agency for International Development Deputy Mission Director in Pakistan, Joseph Williams. "We are developing a culture and system for raising private resources to improve the quality and reach of higher education institutions."
Full report on the Dawn site

Comment:
This is a great step forward in education around the world, not only in Pakistan. The few, but infamous, terrorist groups in Pakistan will be less able to gain recruits with better education in this country. However, mightn't it be more prudent to invest the US money in Pakistan's lower schools, not just universities? Working from the top down is almost never a good idea.

Laura Jones

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