Educated into Emptiness: The De-Education of a Nation
As Pakistan grapples with economic uncertainty and governance challenges, its higher education system is quietly eroding. Universities meant to nurture research, innovation, and critical thought are instead plagued by funding cuts, stalled hiring, and declining autonomy. The result is not merely academic stagnation—it is the gradual unraveling of intellectual infrastructure. We must ask: is it education we are imparting, or a systematic descent into de-education?
Pakistan’s higher education system stands at a precarious crossroads. Once envisioned as the backbone of national development, our public universities are now struggling to stay afloat. Hiring has been frozen for years. Research funding has dried up. Thousands of PhD holders remain unemployed, while departments rely on contract lecturers with no prospects of career progression. This is no longer merely an institutional shortcoming—it has become a national concern with far-reaching implications.
At its core, the crisis stems not only from resource scarcity but from a deeper underestimation of what universities represent. Successive governments have viewed higher education as a cost centre rather than a site of national transformation. Policymakers routinely prioritize infrastructure projects and short-term political wins over long-term intellectual investment. Even the Higher Education Commission (HEC), once a beacon of reform, has been mired in leadership crises and policy inconsistency. In this vacuum, universities have become hollow institutions—stripped of autonomy, relevance, and vision.
The consequences are already visible. Innovation has stalled. Research output is low and often disconnected from national needs. Academic morale is plummeting. As students witness their professors resigning themselves to professional stagnation, they too begin to question the value of higher education. A society that fails to reward knowledge cannot expect progress.
What Must Change? A National Covenant for Higher Education
To reverse this decline, Pakistan must commit to a new social contract—one that restores the dignity, utility, and autonomy of academic institutions. This covenant must rest on four interlocking pillars:
1. Autonomy and Governance: Universities must be free to govern their own affairs. Key decisions—academic hiring, curriculum development, and research direction—must be made by educators, not bureaucrats or political patrons. Reforms should enshrine academic freedom and reduce dependence on ad hoc appointments and political interference.
2. Research as Infrastructure: Research is not a luxury—it is a nation-building asset. A protected, non-lapsable national research fund should be established to support long-term projects aligned with public needs, including climate resilience, agricultural innovation, and public health. Funding must be consistent, transparent, and performance-based.
3. Merit and Excellence: Appointments and promotions must reflect academic merit, not seniority or political connections. Teaching and research excellence should be the core criteria for career advancement. Policies must reward innovation, peer-reviewed output, and student mentorship.
4. Public Engagement and Relevance: Universities must serve the nation by engaging directly with its challenges. Research should be rooted in local contexts—from Tharparkar’s water insecurity to Balochistan’s school dropout crisis. Academic knowledge must inform public policy, not remain buried in unread journals.
A Matter of National Survival
Despite its many setbacks, the higher education sector remains one of Pakistan’s most valuable untapped assets. Its revitalization is not optional—it is essential. The country’s intellectual capital is not a luxury; it is the foundation upon which any serious development effort must rest. Without thriving universities, there can be no sustainable economy, no informed citizenry, and no future worth aspiring to.
The covenant awaits. Whether we choose to honour it will define the future of not just our campuses—but our country.
