ISLAMABAD, Sept 5 (Alliance News) — Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the need for an updated salary mechanism to bolster higher education in Pakistan.
Speaking at a meeting on Thursday, Iqbal highlighted that a revised pay scale system is crucial to attracting world-class experts and PhDs to the country’s universities.
The minister’s remarks came during a session reviewing the performance and recommendations of a task force dedicated to evaluating the current pay scale system for higher education institutions.
The task force was established to align pay scales with global market demands and improve the educational standards of Pakistani universities.
Iqbal stressed that offering competitive salaries to highly qualified teachers is essential for national development. He noted that current pay scales, particularly for emerging fields like Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing, are inadequate to attract top-notch professors.
This shortfall often leads Pakistani PhD holders to seek opportunities abroad or in the private sector, resulting in a loss of skilled professionals.
To address this issue, Iqbal directed provinces to collaborate with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and finance departments to draft recommendations for reforming the pay scale system. He urged each province to appoint a representative to assist in this task.
The minister underscored that investing in the education sector and providing excellent opportunities within Pakistan are key to retaining educated and skilled individuals, thus preventing the migration of talent.
Once the recommendations are finalized, a formal plan will be adopted at both federal and provincial levels to implement the necessary changes.
